It’s internship season in New York City: Pace is holding career fairs, companies are releasing applications on Handshake by the tens, and students are looking for ways to fill up their summer. I had the pleasure of sitting down with RA Emi Matsumae, who just scored her third internship, a twelve-week summer program with Netflix. I was glad to get her valuable insight into the interview process, what companies look for in an intern, and how to stay mentally healthy while preparing for a long-term career.  

Emi’s first piece of advice was to stay connected. She noted that she wouldn’t have even heard about the internship with Netflix—let alone applied to it—without the encouragement from a high school friend, Nathan. Having previously worked for Netflix, he acted as a reference for Emi. This, she later learned, may have been a huge reason why she moved on to the next round of interviews; it is common for large companies like Netflix, with huge masses of applicants, to immediately deny candidates who aren’t referred by current or previous employees. Nathan was also a huge supporter, both in advising improvements to her resume and encouraging her to be ambitious and believe in herself. It is for this reason that Emi also emphasized the importance of a support system. The moral support she had from her friends, as well as the interviewing tips and tricks she learned from them, gave her immense advantages in the interviewing process. 

When I asked her what she thought made her stand out from her fellow applicants, she mentioned that she did all of the optional parts of the application and tried just as hard on them as on the mandatory sections. Most applicants, worrying about the many other positions they need to apply for, won’t produce creative, personal, noteworthy applications because they feel they can’t waste the time or effort it may take to do, for example, an optional writing sample. But it was exactly that which made Emi stand out: in her optional writing sample, she innovated new ideas and strategies to market Netflix’s games section (which, as we all know, has proved little more than a mere nuisance on our way to rewatch Stranger Things). Her would-be manager referred to these ideas during the interview, not only because they made her stand out, but because they were the exact kind of inventive, effective ideas that Netflix needs to market their games to the younger generations (especially as a company being run by millennials, Gen X, and Boomers). 

With all that Emi does to stay active on campus, like being a Resident Assistant, a member of multiple clubs—and an E-Board member of Pace’s AMA club—and taking classes to earn both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s, it was a wonder to me how she even had time for an internship. It turns out, she doesn’t, but she makes it work. She emphasized that our role models become successful because they go the extra mile, but she also acknowledged that she doesn’t always prioritize herself when she should: “I’m usually just trying to survive through the moment without worrying too much about the future.” How, then, does she maintain her mental health—and her sanity? As Honors advisor Mohini suggested, Emi “puts in more ‘No Brain’ time” when she feels close to the brink of over-working herself. One way she does this is by getting in touch with her creative side in Pace’s dance club, The Collective. While she presides over AMA because it aligns with her career goals, she is a member of The Collective purely for the fun and creativity of it. But, as she emphasized, it’s important to take those creative outlet sorts of clubs and activities just as seriously as you do those clubs and activities which will directly aid you in your professional career. The community she’s gained from being a member of The Collective has been just as helpful in maintaining her mental health as her experience leading AMA has helped her prepare for her career. 

As a last piece of advice, Emi highlighted the efficacy of “just being quirky.” It was the moments when the unique parts of her personality showed through her application and preliminary interviews that ultimately led to her earning the position. She didn’t take anything too seriously because that’s what all the other applicants do, and found that “being silly takes you places.” Obviously, saying “merp” multiple times in an interview won’t immediately get you a job everywhere, or in all contexts, but she knew that her interviewers at Netflix were looking for someone distinctive, personable, and—let’s face it—funny. She also made pop culture references, like when she mentioned a favorite TikTok page of hers, @customwoodburning, that gave her an immediate bond with her interviewer, making her more memorable. At the end of the day, taking risks like those Emi took—in applying for the internship, proudly showing all sides of her personality, and being silly—is what will get you the internships, and then the part-time and full-time jobs you aspire to. As Emi advises, “do anything you can to get your foot in the door.”