How I Got Hired: Deputy Director-Technology, British Consulate

My name is Matthew Caron and I graduated with an MA in International Trade and Economic Diplomacy from the Middlebury Institute in 2016. My language of study was Spanish. I am now the deputy director-technology in the Department for Business and Trade at the British Consulate in San Francisco, California.

After graduating from the Middlebury Institute in May 2016, I completed two internships, first with the Delegation of the European Union to the United States and subsequently with the Department for Business and International Trade at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. During the latter internship, I learned about and applied for a full-time position as a trade and investment associate with the British Consulate in San Francisco. After 15 months in that position I was promoted to senior trade and investment officer.

The two very interesting and informative Washington, D.C.-based internships I completed definitely helped me to get my position with the consulate. And I was able to land the D.C. internships through focused coursework at MIIS on policy and commercial outcomes as well as class projects, the trade club, and advice from alumni of the Institute’s trade program.

Network and Apply to Broaden Your Opportunities

My best advice for current students is this: don’t be afraid to apply to anything or reach out to anyone. You will be surprised how responsive people are and how a seemingly impossible position opens up if you take a chance.