What I Learned As An Intern

An ideal Summer for any college student would be to not work at all and hang out at the beach all day. But since it’s time to be a grown up, interning is the next best thing on my list.

Throughout my experience interning at Strän this Summer, I compiled a list of the main things I learned while spending my Summer with such an amazing organization.

Teamwork LITERALLY makes the dream work.

Teamwork was relevant in 6^th grade when your classmates and you had to think of ideas to make sure an egg didn’t crack after dropping it out of a 4 story window.  Teamwork can also be relevant when you’ve graduated from college and are trying to figure out how to pitch your business to a potential client.

During my interning period at Strän, I witnessed teamwork to the max. We had a lead from a company, which would be an amazing addition to the many clients already in the files.  The task of putting together a pitch, an answered questionnaire sheet, and many other things didn’t faze the Strän team at all.  Everyone put their heads together, worked together, and was able to come up with an incredible pitch.  In the end, this team effort won over the company and lead to Strän gaining a new client.  Teamwork finished everything that needed to be done in the allotted time given.  Without everyone giving an ample amount of teamwork, and effort, the job probably wouldn’t have been completed.  So thank you, for teaching me not every task is a one man show, and of course, teamwork makes the dream work.

Don’t be afraid to speak your mind.

Although everyone knows this is true, you don’t really understand it in a business setting until you experience it. Weekly Monday meetings would definitely be the place where speaking your mind excelled.  These meetings would cover anything that needed to be talked about for the prior and coming week.  Sometimes there would be a cross road, and it was the constant input from co-workers speaking their mind and putting their ideas out there that would eventually lead to a decision being made.  Speaking your mind can lead to great ideas and conclusions that may have never been thought of.  So thank you, “Monday morning meetings” for helping me to understand it’s good to speak your mind and not hold back.

Free lunch can brighten your mood no matter what.

Strän introduced me to something I didn’t even know existed: vendor lunches. This is when one or more sales managers from a vendor comes to our office, brings a whole bunch of product to show us, and explains everything and anything there is to know about the products. Now, what excites people for these vendor lunches is the free food the vendor buys for us (and of course the cool product).  You can have a bad day, not want to work, or feel tired, but once you step in that conference room and smell the fresh Italian cuisine, your day can turn around in an instant.  So thank you, to all of the vendors that fed me this summer.

Listening, observing, and sitting in on things can teach you a ton.

The more you listen, observe, and sit in on things, the more you learn. One of my first days interning, I sat down with an account director and observed everything she was doing.  As complex as the position is, I learned a ton just from watching what she does daily, while she gave commentary on what she was actually doing.

I was also able to sit in on what I would call the “party planning committee” (The Office reference).   This is a group of about five people that would meet every Wednesday and plan the yearly Strän Open House.  I thoroughly admire all of the thought, and contacting, and deliberating that went into this process.  Just sitting through a couple months of meetings taught me endless things that I can carry with me in the future.  So thank you, to the party planning committee for allowing me to sit in on your meetings and soak up your endless information.

The people are what make your experience great.

I can’t even put words together to describe the phenomenal group of people I was able to work alongside this summer. Of course, coming in as the intern I wasn’t expecting to become friends with everyone.  But over the course of a couple months,  I was welcomed into the Strän lifestyle with open arms, and I couldn’t be more grateful. The genuineness of everyone in the office is remarkable.  Yes of course, people have their good and bad days, but at the end of the day, I didn’t see Strän as a company, but as a family.  The way in which everyone interacted, and treated each other was what you’d wish to see anywhere you go.  The jokes, the humor, the support, and the love throughout was something I definitely won’t forget.  I sincerely enjoyed working at Strän this summer, and am thankful for everyone I got to know and learn from.  So, thank you Strän for helping me grow, and giving me a great summer I am sure to never forget.

I went into this Summer not knowing what was going to come out of it, but come to find out it was the greatest thing that could have walked in my path of opportunities. I am thankful for all I was taught, and all I learned.  If you’re not sure what you want to do with your Summer, or what you want your kid to do with their summer, have them do an internship.  I swear it’s worth every second of missing the beach.  And in all seriousness, not just because I’m supposed to write about product, but if you have any requests for your business, Strän is the company to go to. I would know wouldn’t I?  I interned there.