Mature graduate campaigns to become oldest IBM intern

Competition out there is tough, and working placements can seem like gold dust. One determined graduate came up with a novel way to make her herself seen, launching a campaign on LinkedIn to become IBM’s oldest intern.

Anna Seacat, who completed her Masters in Marketing at Southern New Hampshire University, set her sights on working for tech giant IBM. However at 34, she was worried about how her age might affect her chances, so Seacat wrote and published an essay entitled “IBM’s Oldest Intern” on a plethora of social media sites.

Speaking to HR Grapevine, Anna Seacat revealed her motivation for choosing IBM in the first place. “IBM’s established remote-work program,” she claims. “With all things being the same, if the opportunity to work remotely went away, I would no longer pursue IBM.  However, working for a socially minded organization, one that does no clear harm to the environment or to society, is also one of my top priorities.”

Seacat says that HR needs to become more openminded when considering female applicants who have taken time out of a career to start a family.