Tyler Tep, a senior majoring in information systems and operations management (ISOM), spent 11 weeks of summer 2019 in Colorado as a solutions consultant intern with Google’s Building Opportunities for Leadership and Development (BOLD) program. Tep leveraged the services of the School of Business Office of Career Services to complete BUS 492: Internship for Credit.
“Naturally, I was really intrigued by how Google functioned, and that was one of the main reasons for applying to and participating in the internship,” he says. “I really wanted to see how Google functioned and learn about some of the innovative things they were working on. I was also really interested in the people that interned and worked at Google. Not to my surprise, everyone I interacted with was extremely nice and crazy smart.”
As a solutions consultant intern, Tep optimized advertising initiatives for Google advertising clients and worked on side projects in various departments. “My favorite was my work with Launchpad Research, Google’s startup accelerator,” Tep says. “I specialized in market research within developing countries, focusing on the venture capital and industry trends within these ecosystems, for Google to make informed decisions on potential investments.”
Tep has completed numerous internships and externships during his time at the School of Business, including an internship with the Walt Disney Company, but says Google was one of his more challenging experiences thus far due to his heavy workload and the company’s high expectations. However, he cites amazing colleagues for their support.
“The biggest takeaway I have from interning at Google is how much I valued the people I worked with. I really enjoyed being able to work with such amazing, intelligent, and caring people across the board,” Tep says. “I also really enjoyed being able to work at the cutting edge of innovation; some of the things Google is working on could possibly change the way we live our lives. That was super exciting.”
Tep believes his educational journey in the ISOM area at Mason prepared him for Google. “My major and background have versatility within the business world,” he says. “Having such a flexible degree really helped, as I was working at the intersection of business and technology while at Google.”
Tep plans to graduate in May 2020. He would like to work full time with Google or another major tech company in their product marketing, strategy, or global business teams. In the future, he’d like to work internationally in the European, Asian, or Latin American markets. After gaining experience, Tep hopes to start his own company in the technology industry.