Lawrence Chen, an industry technical specialist at Intel, reveals what the interview process at Intel is like, what the company looks for, and how an MBA helped get him the job
After graduating from ESMT Berlin in 2018, Lawrence Chen landed an MBA job with technology giant Intel.
Lawrence has always had a passion for technology, studying computer science for his undergraduate degree before setting out on a career developing firmware for a variety of clients.
After almost a decade of this highly technical work, he wanted to expand his remit and learn more about the business world—an MBA seemed like the ideal solution.
Lawrence decided to move from Taiwan to Germany, drawn to the job opportunities and friendly visa regulations. Offering the number one MBA program in Germany according to the Financial Times, ESMT quickly stood out.
When Lawrence graduated, a job opportunity with Intel emerged in Munich, and he leapt at the chance, joining the company as a technology specialist. “I help customers to develop innovative technology solutions,” he explains. “This means taking the role of advisor, and walking clients through their digital transformation challenges.”
BusinessBecause caught up with Lawrence to find out more about what it’s like to work with Intel, and what MBAs need to land a coveted spot on the Intel team.
Sources: Salary, Offices, Women employees, Total employees
Top MBA Jobs: Intel
Why did you want to work for Intel?
Intel is the top semiconductor company in the world, and it is one of the most innovative companies in the world as well.
I had worked with Intel as a client before I came to Germany, and was always impressed by the technology and the innovative products that Intel keeps bringing to the world. That’s why when I graduated from ESMT, I searched for an opportunity with Intel, Germany, and was excited to join as a technical account manager.
What does Intel look for in its job applicants?
Intel is looking for talent with technical skills, which my position required, but the personality and how you fit the team matter a lot too.
I was working in a similar industry and was familiar with Intel’s products and technologies, which helped me a lot to fit the role.
The startup founding experience I had also helped me to demonstrate my capability to work with c-suite level customers.
Describe the application process.
The Intel interview process is very friendly and considerate. There are multiple rounds to test your technical skills and find out about your background via phone calls, and in person on-site.
At the same time, Intel is highly appreciative of the talent it attracts, and I felt respected by all the interviewers during the process.
The interview questions covered various aspects, from your personality, technical skills, and passions, to team working.
Overall, it’s a fun and exciting experience. One of the most interesting questions in my interview was “can you ride a Segway?”
Our team manages the IoT Lab here in Munich. It’s a collaboration lab for Intel and partners to showcase their innovative solutions to the end-users.
My interview took place there, and we have two Segways in the lab. My team is fun and open to new technologies, so they hoped to find a candidate who has the same mentality, which is why they asked me to play around on the Segway with them.
It is no doubt the most fun interview question I have ever had!
Tell us one thing about working at Intel that most people won’t know.
The most surprising thing for me, and I think most people in the world, is that Intel isn’t just a CPU company, but rather a technology innovation leader.
We drive innovation from all perspectives. From computing, storage, and connectivity, to AI, Cloud, IoT, smart homes, and smart cities.
Now I see Intel more like a new technology promoter than just a CPU company.
Why did you decide to do an MBA?
My background is in software and firmware engineering, which I’ve been doing for almost 10 years. I felt like I was eager to know more about the business perspective, and about different industries and different countries. That became the main motivation for me to come to Germany for my MBA.
The price-performance ratio is also much better compared to doing an MBA in the US. From the tuition to the living cost, Germany is much more accessible than the US.
ESMT is also super international and located in the innovation center of Germany: Berlin. It provides a great environment to link with the startup scene and new technology innovation.
This article was originally published by BusinessBecause on April 10, 2020, and republished with permission.
