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In a rapidly changing landscape, Radhika Tawade integrated her academic interests to solve tough problems when she worked at Dow Chemical.
Radhika Tawade ’23, a native of Cary, North Carolina and double majoring in business analytics and supply chain management, transformed her academic interests into a professional opportunity as an integrated supply chain intern at Dow Chemical. Tawade will return to Dow’s headquarters in Michigan after graduation to begin working full-time as a rotational program specialist for the supply chain.
Tawade uses her curiosity in the classroom to inform the type of internships she seeks. In a challenging job market, it took persistence to find the perfect position. Tawade accepted a summer internship at Dow Chemical, which solidified her interest in the intersection of supply chain analytics and management. Tawade credits the Student Professional Development Center (SPDC) with helping her develop her personal brand during her job search.
We spoke with Tawade to learn more about her experience working with the SPDC and its impact on her professional trajectory.
When you met with SPDC staff, what were you trying to accomplish?
As I went through the job search process, I regularly updated my resume. I used resume reviews to understand how to tailor different areas of my professional experience and skills when applying for different positions and used this to my advantage in interviews. I met with Corinne Townley and Cindy Sweeney to make sure I performed well throughout the application process.
What did you learn from your experience working with SPDC?
When I was looking for an internship, I learned patience and staying true to myself. Sometimes it was frustrating to be rejected or not hear back after multiple rounds of interviews. However, I was able to learn from past interviews to improve the next application.
How did your interest in the supply chain industry develop?
When I first started at Elon, I announced that I was a business analytics major. I was very interested in using visualizations and various analytical software systems to create business insights for companies. However, when the pandemic hit, I kept hearing about how supply chains were supported.
I wanted to know more about what is going on behind the scenes with the companies affected by this shortage. I became incredibly interested in how I could help companies analyze data and guide them through logistics system problems, so I added a supply chain management major to the mix. I was able to learn so much from my classes at Elon, and working at Dow this past summer solidified my love for the field.
Tell me about your experience in obtaining this opportunity with Dow Chemical Company.
I was added to projects that really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I was tasked with finding better warehouse locations for our customers and doing a cost-to-serve analysis of our options. I also helped create a database to store customer information and create visualizations to update customer status. This was one of my favorite projects, even though it was extremely challenging to accommodate the data changes. During the project I was also responsible for keeping everyone updated. I can tell that as the project grew and new people were added, information was lost and no one was keeping track of what was going on. So after each new update, I made sure to set up virtual meetings or email threads to communicate updates to the team.
I fell in love with meeting new people and solving difficult problems with colleagues. When I was offered to come back as a Supply Chain Rotation Program Specialist, I couldn’t say no!
What specific things about the company culture impressed you?
Every employee at Dow was welcoming and wanted to know more about me. Regardless of their position, everyone I spoke to expressed interest in my projects. By networking with people from other teams, I learned about different areas of the project I was working on. Everyone was very open about their previous work experience and how they worked their way up. If I needed to talk to someone from a different department, they were always open to talk.
What recommendations would you share with other students about SPDC?
I would recommend meeting with career counselors at SPDC to update your resume and cover letter. Employers are always looking for talented people, so if you market yourself well through these documents, you will increase your hiring potential. Also, don’t forget to use mock interview meetings, they are a great way to practice interviewing skills!
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