Intern Spotlight: Joshua Diaz
Name: Joshua R. Diaz
Major: Management Science | Business
Class: Psi, Fall 2014
Company: Bofi Federal Bank | San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
Title: Credit Portfolio Analyst Intern | Business Analyst Intern
Location: San Diego, California
What company did you work for?
Bofi Federal Bank in La Jolla
San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce in San Diego
What was your title/position?
Credit Intern for Bofi Federal Bank
Business Analyst Intern for the Chamber.
Describe your internship(s) in one sentence.
An incredible learning experience that is instrumental in giving me confidence and paving the path of my future career aspirations while giving me the opportunity to work and interact with extremely accomplished professionals.
How did you obtain this position?
Bofi: I met with a recruiter at the UCSD winter quarter career fair and she liked me enough to invite me to an interview for the position.
Chamber: I originally applied for another position for another department through port triton but they saw that I was more inclined towards analytics so they forwarded me to the head of another department and that is how I got an interview with the recruiter.
Why did you choose to work at this company over the summer?
I chose to work for Bofi because they align with my attitude towards work ethic. I believe in always being pro-active at work and Bofi works like a meritocracy where the normal is “exceeds expectations.” You would also see that most of the people there are individuals with strong personalities, which is something I would say I am comfortable with.
For the Chamber, I realized in the interview that I was going to be doing meaningful and substantial work if I got accepted and chose to intern for them.
What did your day-to-day look like?
My work life at my two internships are very contrasting in a way.
Bofi: I work in different departments so my work structure is very dynamic and high-pressured where I answer to different supervisors, each with their own work demands. I am usually in-and-out of meetings due to the very corporate structure of the bank. Between meetings, I underwrite in the credit department, problem-solve for operations in loan servicing, or catch-up on the different projects that I concurrently do.
Chamber: My day-to-day is more toned down, where I mostly work with the Vice President in multiple projects and we usually discuss our end-summer presentation over lunch at a nearby restaurant.
What kind of impact were you able to make at your company?
I felt and knew that I was making an important impact in both places because they didn’t even see me as an intern, but instead treated me as a full-time analyst. I was able to train new analysts at Bofi in underwriting (which is surprising that they even let me do it), while at the Chamber, my supervisor regarded me as a fellow intellectual that is able to contribute and express critical input for the success of the strategic project. I have never felt more heard or impactful in my life than at these internships that I have.
How has DSP prepared/supported you in this experience?
I would akin it to diving on the deep side of the pool head on. From preparing for the interview and landing the position, to actively interacting with professionals in a business setting, the skills that I learned through DSP has proven to be extremely necessary to be able to present myself confidently in the corporate world. The support from my brothers is amazing as well. Each one of us pushes each other to strive for excellence, support each other through tough times, and celebrate each other’s accomplishments. They say that if you surround yourself with successful people, your actions tend to propel you to success as well. That cannot be more on point with DSP.
What did you learn from this experience?
Most people assume that getting an internship is enough, but it really takes a different kind of person to take that internship to your own level of high performance and extract as much learning potential out of it as possible. At first, I was relegated to simple administrative work for one of my internships in the past, but when you show that you work hard and are willing to put in the effort to gain more responsibilities, the company will respond and give you more hats to wear and reward you for it. This makes your internship a much more rewarding and fulfilling experience than when you just sit back and wait for what they ask you to do.
Any advice for those trying to get into your field or jumpstart their careers in general?
The best advice that I have for anyone wanting to succeed is to acquire and exhibit initiative. This is a very fundamental aspect of any successful person in all fields of business today. It can apply throughout the career cycle: finding the right job/internship, networking, acing the interview, and performing well above what is expected of your job. Also, not being afraid to ask for more responsibilities and showing them what you are capable of through your hard work will enable you to shine in your workplace. Don’t let yourself be a bystander at the battling cages; rather, be a force to be reckoned with in everything that you do.
