FMP’s Internship Experience

At FMP Consulting, we recognize the value that outstanding interns bring to our workplace culture and business performance. Over the past 25 years, we’ve hired dozens of graduate and undergraduate students as full-time interns to join a diverse array of client projects and internal company initiatives. Of the many benefits brought to the company, our interns consistently demonstrate their ability to give input and share insights on a multitude of real issues we face. With fresh, new perspectives, our interns help us challenge our assumptions and support ongoing improvement. Additionally, we recognize the added benefit of getting to know new employees on a temporary basis. Throughout the internship, the company and the intern can mutually determine whether they are a good fit for our consulting roles and work environment, which could lead to long-term employment depending on business needs.

As experts in adult learning and career development, FMP understands the critical role that on-the-job learning has in shaping employees’ professional and personal development. Many of the consulting skills that interns learn and practice during their internships are transferrable to any workplace, like learning how to ask clarifying questions, working effectively in teams, managing and prioritizing one’s own workload, and working with stakeholders across multiple levels of the organization. These opportunities serve as a realistic preview of a career in consulting, which helps interns make informed decisions about whether they want to pursue a career in this field post-graduation. We also strive to place interns on projects that expose them to a variety of subject matters and offer safe, collaborative environments so they can actively participate while receiving mentorship and support from seasoned employees.

Scavenger hunts engage interns and help them learn about FMP

Each year, we post intern job announcements in the January/February timeframe and begin holding informational sessions and conducting interviews through April. Since we typically hire graduate and undergraduate students and recent grads, most of our interns start working with us in May and continue through August. When evaluating and selecting interns, we look for candidates with strong oral and written communication skills, curiosity and openness to new experiences, demonstrated ability to think critically, and interest in relevant fields (e.g., human resources, psychology, business, communications). To welcome our interns and help them integrate into the workforce quickly, we have a structured onboarding process with a sequence of informational sessions that give interns an overview of our company mission, values, and culture. We group interns together in a cohort so that the onboarding experience can be shared and interns can begin working together from day one.

2017 interns highlight their individual project work by sharing presentations with the entire company

In addition to that, we hold many company-wide activities and strongly encourage our interns to attend. These include professional development activities like brownbag sessions on different human capital-related topics and internal trainings and workshops, as well as fun, social activities like our annual summer picnic, outings to sporting events, company-sponsored sports leagues, and celebrations for holidays and special occasions.

With the ultimate goal of providing meaningful, hands-on professional consulting experiences for our interns, we continue to solicit employee feedback on the benefits and challenges of our internship program, and suggestions for enhancing the program’s impact for future intern cohorts.

Internship Insight: Former FMP Intern Louise Chan shares her internship experience

Community

Going into the internship, I didn’t quite know what to expect. However, my summer at FMP has been an unforgettable experience that certainly exceeded my expectations. Interning at FMP has been quite an exhilarating experience. From my first day to the last, the employees have been incredibly welcoming and supportive, and made me feel part of the community. Everyone would introduce themselves around the office and were genuinely interested in my background. Like any new employee, I had lots of questions as I was learning to acclimate into the new environment. Surprisingly, employees were receptive to my constant barrage of questions and welcomed the interruptions throughout the day. Furthermore, I had an assigned buddy who checked in with me regularly to answer questions and provide advice and guidance. The HR team also developed a scavenger hunt and created a fun way to learn more about the company, its history, and the people working there. I was surprised by how much flexibility FMPers are offered. Employees have the choice to work remotely and at convenient times, which accommodate everyone’s different schedules and workstyles. Plus, it helps employees avoid rush hour traffic, and trust me, no one likes sitting in traffic.

Client Work

 I hit the ground running at FMP. After a brief onboarding process, I dove straight into client work. I was pleasantly surprised to be assigned work that a full-time employee would do. My work mainly surrounded competency modeling for a federal client, which was great because I had the opportunity to learn in-depth about the process and apply my academic knowledge to a real-world setting. Everyone I worked with was honest and genuine during our interactions, which attested to the emphasis placed on their company values.

Outside the Office

Intern, Louise, working out at an FMP-sponsored class at The Energy Club

The meaningful work I did was only a portion of why my internship was so memorable. Getting to know everyone at work was one of the best parts of the internship. During the month I joined FMP, there was a 30-day wellness challenge to promote employee well-being. Whether it is fitness related, or even spending more time unplugged from electronics, this program incentivized employees (myself included!) in completing activities that inspired physical and mental well-being outside the office. FMP also scheduled a day at the ballpark, where employees had the opportunity to mingle with others outside the office. It was great to learn more about other employees. We even went to a National’s game (Go Nats!). During my free time, I had the opportunity to sightsee (as any tourist would) and explore the DC area. The convenient/efficient public transit system coupled with the numerous museums, historical sites, and restaurants made the city fun and easy to explore.

A Note to FMP

As I return to school in the fall, I will bring with me all the valuable skills and knowledge I’ve learned and the fond memories I’ve shared. My time at FMP has positively shaped my experience in the consulting world and has solidified the career path I wish to pursue. Thank you to everyone who has guided me every step of the way; and thank you, FMP, for a great experience.