Peer Career Consultant Blogs

This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern at Ernst and Young in San Francisco in the Process and Controls Consulting group. The team helps companies understand how their operations work and where risks can slow them down, and from day one the pace was ramped up. When you enter that kind of environment, you realize how important feedback is because it helps you settle in and understand expectations. 

In an internship, you often will receive feedback in the middle of each day, not just during formal check ins. You hear it after a meeting when a point needs more clarity, or while reviewing a slide that needs a cleaner layout, or when a data file could use a simpler structure. At first the constant input feels intense because you want to get everything right. With time you see that asking for feedback early makes your job easier. It saves you from redoing work and shows that you care about growing. Employers respond well to that kind of effort. 

I also learned an important truth about feedback. When a manager gives you thoughtful critiques, it means they care about your progress and want you to improve. They take time out of their day to help you. When that stops, it often signals a lack of attention, which is a bigger issue than any correction they might have shared. Once I understood this, I stopped seeing feedback as criticism. I saw it as a sign that I mattered to the team and that they felt invested in my success. 

The feedback I received changed how I communicate. My team encouraged me to break down problems in simple steps and to explain my work in clear and honest language. These habits helped me see what strong consulting work looks like and why clear communication supports every project. Helping people understand a problem is better than providing an unsupported answer. 

Feedback also helped me learn about myself. As projects stacked up, I noticed what challenged me and how I responded when things became busy. These lessons shaped how I help students because I now understand how much steady and thoughtful guidance can build someone’s confidence. You learn to offer feedback in a way that supports growth rather than overwhelms the person receiving it. 

Looking back, feedback shaped my entire internship experience. It helped me grow faster, communicate better, and gain a clearer sense of the career I want to pursue. When you treat feedback as a tool instead of something to fear, you give yourself the chance to improve with purpose and feel more ready for what comes next.