Students help their peers 'get ahead'

For students hoping to snatch the elusive summer internship in business, there's a new company for hire.

Today marks the launch of Get Ahead Advice, a service founded by four Wharton seniors to guide students through the job search, application and interview process for banking, consulting and other popular business sectors.

"All four of us went through recruiting season three or four times, and in talking to younger friends and reflecting on our own experiences, we think the level of success we had was in large part due to speaking with more seasoned peers," said Wharton senior and cofounder Evan Feinberg.

Between the four of them, the seniors have sat through over 100 interviews and received job offers from about 15 major financial institutions.

"We're going to be able to offer first-hand info and cut through all the fluff to what recruiters want to see in cover letters and what interviewers ask," Feinberg said.

The company will offer three different packages - priced from $50 to $90 - that offer seminars such as writing effective cover letters and resumes, getting the most out of company info sessions and interview preparation.

It will also offer a free introductory lecture for the four founders to speak about On-Campus Recruiting and the current economic landscape.

"This year is unique in that we're going into a workplace that's never seen such an environment," said Wharton senior and cofounder Ryan Greene.

But the merits of a student-run company that charges for its services has left some unconvinced.

"We have an awful lot of experience helping students get jobs, and we have relationships with employers - students should think twice before hiring other students," said Pat Rose, director of Career Services at Penn.

"We want students to know that their own tuition dollars are funding [Career Services]," she added.

But the team says their company aims to supplement rather than replace Career Services.

"Career Services is very helpful but there's only a few people in the office and it's servicing kids not only interested in financial services," said Wharton senior and cofounder Louis Littman.

Jill Schmutter, a senior at the University of Michigan, is student coordinator of a similar program run by the school's career center. She emphasized the benefits of a student-run service in networking.

"The best way to get a job is through a student-to-student network" because of the alumni connections, she said.

College junior Trina Assur agreed.

"It's a perfect opportunity for people like me who are interested in business but don't get the benefits of being in Wharton," she said.

The seniors are also expanding their services to other colleges in the area, including Villanova. They also hope to keep the company running after graduation.

"You can spend a lot of time talking with Career Services and reading the Vault guide, but at the end of the day you really want to know how to get the job," said Feinberg.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.