Ally Financial Inc

Consumer Underwriting Intern

May - August 2023 • Costa Mesa, CA

What I liked

Ally Financial provided a dynamic professional environment that encouraged individual growth. The rotational auto finance sectors offered everyone, including interns, ample opportunities to explore and advance their careers. Beyond their evident professionalism, the team at Ally was incredibly hospitable and approachable. The camaraderie was palpable, with even high-ranking executives making time for one-on-one check-ins with interns. My curiosity led me to arrange coffee chats with individuals from various departments to gain insights into different roles at Ally. Regardless of their department or time zone, everyone was consistently receptive and eager to engage in enriching discussions. A hallmark of the Ally culture was the collective spirit of support. Even in the absence of my manager, when I faced challenges with my final project, colleagues from diverse teams stepped in to collaboratively guide me, which was immensely gratifying. Last but not least, we had one local mentor (1:1 and in office), one national mentor (group of mentees and our mentor was in Charlotte RBC), and one buddy from our team. There was a recruiter from Auto Finance regularly checking up on us throughout the internship. Overall, Ally's support system was the best!

What I wish was different

While I entirely understood the remote nature of our team's operations, I felt somewhat detached due to the infrequent team interactions. The inherent individualistic nature of the tasks meant we seldom communicated. This created a stark contrast when comparing my experience to other interns who were often engaged with their in-office teams. I found myself in a unique position: feeling out of place working predominantly from home, yet without a compelling reason to be in the office. An enhanced hybrid interaction model could have perhaps bridged this gap, allowing for more integrated networking with in-office colleagues.

Advice

Every experience is valuable so I'd recommend everyone to not take it for granted even one single day from the little things. In terms of physical health, it might be rough on the first weeks working 8-5 due to the shift in daily biological clock, especially around 2-3PM. Especially there would be a lot of training classes and important meetings during the first weeks, so it'd be better to change your sleeping habits if needed to be more productive at work. In addition, I'd recommend to take notes as much as possible, including training materials, employee contacts, final project, etc. and save it for future reference.

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health care real estate analyst intern

June - July 2023 • Bethesda, MD

What I liked

The company resources and education programs for college students and new hires

What I wish was different

More description of the specific role

Advice

Make sure you talk to someone on the team about the role before accepting the position

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Sr Analyst Advanced Business Analytics

June - August 2022 • Charlotte, NC

What I liked

I liked that my opportunity to work with cross-functional teams and I gained exposure to the other data applications during the problem solving process. This further also helped me to understand the importance of verbal and written communication skills. My role involved process improvement using data analytics and data mining. Use of Celonis application to design process flow and automate processes using Microsoft Power Automate and other system tools. It also involves developing data models, structure guidance, and hands-on support to generate positive value for process owners. My ability to analyze a problem well and solve it was greatly refined through the varied opportunities I had at work.

What I wish was different

I was hands-on on projects from Day 1 without much guidance, this helped me to learn from the start but having a structured internship induction program could be more effective.

Advice

My experience at Ally Financial was very rewarding and it would not have been possible without the knowledge that I have gained through my professors and curriculum at UNT. The conceptual knowledge that I gained from subjects like Data Mining, Predictive Analytics and Programming for BA amongst others helped me in performing my day to day work during my internship and it has helped me with a steep learning curve and has prepared me for my future endeavors.

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Human Resources Intern

May 2021 • Detroit, MI

What I liked

I loved the project I was put on and the opportunities to get to know the other interns! Ally did a great job of keeping the interns in a close network to we can share experiences and ask questions or concerns if needed. The internship managers made sure every intern was given all materials and support they needed to succeed.

What I wish was different

I wish it had been in person but there was little to no control with that. They did a great job of ensuring the remote option was still effective and enjoyable for all. We had many lunch and learns that mimicked the feeling of being with everyone in the office.

Advice

I would recommend that you put meetings on anyones calendars and really grow your network. There is so much opportunity to experience the other areas in Ally if you put in the work to do so.

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Commercial Lending Intern

May - August 2021 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

Rotational Aspect.

What I wish was different

I wish we had the chance to go in person.

Advice

Take notes and participate in the training sessions. Start your final project early.

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Risk Intern

June - August 2020 • Charlotte, NC

What I liked

The company culture is amazing. The opportunities and responsibilities you are able to take on allow you to feel like you can contribute meaningful work to the company.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have been in the office, but appreciated that we transitioned to a remote internship experience.

Advice

Join any of the ERGs and reach out to all Ally employees - even beyond your department.

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HR compensation intern

May - August 2020 • Detroit, MI

What I liked

I enjoyed the breakout sessions on zoom.

What I wish was different

I wish we would've worked at the office but the pandemic ruined that.

Advice

Go above and beyond. Do not just do what is assigned. Also have confidence.

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Solution Architect Intern

May - August 2019 • Charlotte, NC

What I liked

The culture of the work place was semi-casual, and all of my coworkers seemed very personable.

What I wish was different

I wish there had been a little more structure around the intern task and responsibilities

Advice

Be social and willing to ask questions and network.

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IT Finance Intern

May - August 2019 • Detroit, MI

What I liked

My coworkers welcomed me and really made me feel like a part of the team. There were endless training opportunities and I got to work on meaningful projects. It was also unique and fulfilling to participate in paid volunteer time off with other interns.