In turn with Connor Harmon

Connor Harmon helps us kick off the 22-23 “In Turn with” internship series. The senior is from the Charlotte area and recently spoke to us about his recent internship with Thermo Fisher. The marketing and supply chain major plans to graduate in May and has already accepted a position in the company’s procurement leadership development program after he graduates.

What were your responsibilities during your internship?

My primary responsibilities included sales, inventory, and operations planning for Thermo Fisher’s Steriles business unit. I also created a process to track and move tertiary components to an offsite warehouse for just-in-time manufacturing. Thermo Fisher’s site in Greenville is a contract manufacturer under a multi-billion-dollar business. They currently manufacture the Moderna vaccine, Adderall, Remdesivir, Bravecto, Ibuprofen and hundreds of other medicines.

How did you apply what you learned in BUSI 1200, BUSI 2200, BUSI 3200 or BUSI 4200 to your internship?

The core business capstone classes prepared me for my internship and job search. These classes put me through practice interviews, resume-building workshops and even helped me create my LinkedIn profile, which I can give the most credit to my success in finding my job and connections.

What was the most challenging thing you experienced during your internship, and how did what you learned in the COB help you overcome it?

The most challenging thing I encountered was getting used to communications practices. Being young and fresh in a corporate-level job, there were many things I needed to learn about professional business communication. The College of Business played a major role in teaching me how to communicate effectively and professionally.

How have you applied what you learned in your classwork to this position?

Communication is the biggest part of business; if you cannot communicate effectively, you will not succeed. Being at ECU and in the College of Business prepared me for speaking, writing, and networking the right way.

What has this internship taught you about responsibility?

I quickly learned that you succeed if you are persistent, motivated, passionate, and a go-getter. For example, I didn’t have to interview for my post-grad position because, throughout my internship, I met with the higher-level executives that were going to interview me anyways. I had a lot on my plate for my internship, and I am grateful to have had that responsibility.

Why would you recommend a business student take advantage of the Cunanan Center for Professional Success resources?

I would recommend any student at East Carolina to check out the resources that the Cunanan for Center Professional Success provides because they have resume tips, internship and job fairs, and practice interviews that will set you up for success in the real world.