A teenager competing with PhDs: How I landed internships in the richest companies of the world?🌎

This is two years ago… We were delivering a speech to Medical University students about our research findings in language learning and acquisition, and how they can be applied to running smooth medical practices both on a local level and abroad. Where I am sitting on the photo after successfully compiling and submitting our research is what tens of “Doctorate” degree students fought for: We were publishing it on a Scopus-Indexed journal as one bulk of researchers, and only my research paper got approved after being screened for formatting, citing, and accuracy requirements📈.

Now, it is me there - a 17 year-old sharing advice on how to do better with Medical University students who were years older than me. Yet they were passionately listening, approaching with questions, and showing deep interest in my insights. That is where I realized that age is just a number: experiences are what define you✨.

Where did it take me? As a freshman at university, I approached my Economics professor asking for a Research Assistant Position. He first laughed, treating me as a kid not taking it serious. That same day, I sent him my research portfolio, and after a couple of days he invited me for a faculty interview. That was the time I got my Research Assistant position as a freshman - something Master’s students fight for🔬.

Doing exceptionally well in my position as an assistant to my professor, I got referred to Deloitte by him - a firm that generated $65 billion in revenues in 2023. I applied to their Audit internship, and did not even hope for being recruited. It is one of the biggest 4 companies in the assurance industry, and getting an internship from there as a freshman seemed far-fetched. Shortly, I interviewed with them, and guess what… They took me😍.

Working for them in a hybrid form for 3 months, I raised enough to cover myself for enough time. To give you an idea, an hourly rate there for interns was $58 dollars, and I worked 50 hours on average per week. After a successful completion of my internship, I got a tutoring position on campus. It is one of the highest-paid jobs for students, where they get paid for doing their assignments and putting in more work towards academic excellence. Receiving this position was also tough - 7 students out of 250 applicants were selected🧭.

Now, in a partnership with my friend, we are doing an education project based in Uzbekistan. Growing as much as possible and reaching our vision, my next goal is to do my Master’s Degree either in Harvard Business School or Wharton School of Business🧑‍🎓.

Why I decided to share this all? Step into it early on. Do not delay. Switch your computer on, and start your research, Get involved in the process and see where life takes you🚀