Summary: Wendy Spelman discusses the importance of an internship and how to effectively get technical skills across in an interview. She also touches upon the importance of teamwork at the start a new career. To download this podcast, click here Wendy explains that experienced interviewers look for specific qualities from candidates during an interview. Companies often look for the same set of skills in interns and full time employees. An employee needs to balance leadership skills and working on a team; they need to know when to lead and when to follow. Wendy suggests putting an emphasis on establishing a role as a member of the team first, then moving into a leadership role. At companies like Kraft, interns often become full time employees. This happens when the intern and the company are compatible with each other. When interviewing prospective employees, Kraft looks for technical science skills, best demonstrated through past work and intern experiences. When new employees are hired, they are paired with a buddy to assist with the initial transition. When an employees chooses her career path, she also chooses a mentor to further develop all of the necessary technically skills. Wendy Spelman is a Program Leader at Kraft Foods. She began her career at Kraft General Foods in 1989 in Tarrytown, NY. Wendy is currently on a short term assignment. In this role, she is collaborating on a new specification system. This will allow global access of specifications for Kraft R&D worldwide. She has worked on numerous product lines at Kraft and was the link to Open Innovation, Supplier Collaboration and External Development for Desserts R&D. Wendy holds a BS in Food Science from Cornell University and an MS in Food Science from the University of Delaware. Like this podcast, why not share it?
