intership advice
Congrats on getting into the Core. It's a great program.
I'll give you some thoughts based on my experience. Feel free to share this with others if you find it helpful.
Advice
My best advice, regardless of Exxon Mobil or any other company: build as much as you can, outside of school.
You want to stand out. Your projects and classes in school do not differentiate you. Recruiters don't care what classes you take in the core -- they know BYU gives you a good education. That's why companies come. You have to create your own projects. The projects I built outside of school was how I got offers to Pariveda, Exxon, and Qualtrics. I don't mean to brag -- I'm simply trying to drive the point home. Building leads to the best outcomes.
You stand out by having projects that you came up with and built on your own. A personal website isn't enough. I'm talking about some kind of tool/website/etc that you can point to. Doesn't have to be ground breaking. Doesn't have to make money. But it has to be unique. It has to provide some kind of value or solve some kind of problem. Not sure what to build? Build one thing. Building things leads to building more things. You'll find a valuable idea along the way.
You may be thinking: "Stephen, I don't want to be a software engineer. Why should I build stuff?" The best project managers are the technical ones. The best product managers are technical. The best insert-any-engineering-related-field are the ones who truly grasp what it takes to make a system. The more you can understand, the better. And better yet, if you're applying to less-technical roles (TPM, for example) the more you will stand out. Plus, while you're building, you'll practice all your project/product/etc skills too.
Get really good at behavioral interviews. Familiarize yourself with the STAR method. Practice practice practice. Again, this will help in any internship you interview for. Sadly, it won't actually help you in your job. Don't spend too much time here. Best way to get good is to get interviews.:)
Focus on getting experience, however you can. I worked for the Office of IT on campus as an assistant project manager. I didn't really do much, but companies liked that I was involved. Can't get a tech job? See advice #1.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Other companies have great things to offer. I felt that Exxon was the ticket to the life I wanted. However, during the internship, I realized Exxon actually wasn't the right place for me. That has less to do with Exxon and more to do with what I wanted.
I didn't like that they wouldn't let me know what my role (or my team) would be before I took the job. I was worried that they would put me into a role that I wouldn't gain skills that were marketable to other companies in the industry. I like to think that was the right choice for me, but I guess I'll never know. Other people seem to really like it there. And that's great!
To reaffirm, I firmly don't believe that those of us who got Exxon were any better than anyone else. Almost 5 years removed from school, none of the skills I have depended on internships in any way. I know people who were at Exxon who are much further in their careers than me. I know people who were at Exxon whom I would consider behind me. Everyone has their own path.
Be skeptical of claims. Exxon preached that they had never had layoffs. They had the first round of layoffs two years after I graduated. Pariveda claimed something similar, and yet, COVID happened and they had multiple waves. Don't join because of promises from recruiters. Instead, join because you think the skills the job can give you are ones you want.
Don't worry about reneging. This one is controversial. But, tons of companies have reneged (i.e. cancelled) on offers and BYU still lets them come to recruit. Students have renegged, and the company still comes back to recruit. Why? Because companies need BYU (students) and BYU (students) need companies.
((most important)) Work to Learn over Work to Earn. Early in your career, prioritize working to learn and gain new skills over getting paid the highest. This thinking ultimately led me away from Exxon. I felt I could get better experience in consulting than I could at Exxon. I didn't know what I wanted to do, true, but I knew I didn't want someone else picking the
Surround yourself with bright minds. Wherever you go, ask yourself "Can I truly learn from the technology minds here?" If the answer is no, you need to change your surroundings.
Join AIS. AIS is a way that many companies (including Exxon) look to for students with leadership. For better or for worse, your involvement there can really help you. Again, you want to stand out. Not everyone will be involved in AIS and it looks good on paper.
Best of luck! Let me know if you have any other questions.