Internship Reflections

Internship Reflections

Executive Summary

            The business world is constantly moving and constantly changing. It is important to keep up with work and maintain good relationships to the best of your ability. Businesses always run smoother when the workers can work as a team. We have all had some coworkers that we do not agree with or do not get along with but it is important to put those differences aside while at work and work together so that everyone has a smooth and productive day. It is important that when on a team to be willing to help others. If you accomplish your work early always be willing to help out others on the team to ensure that all of the work gets done and no one gets left behind.

Introduction

            Things are finally starting to get into full swing with the internships. Each week an assignment is given to work on from the project controller to everyone, we also have to stay in contact with our clients and make sure that all of their wants and needs are being fulfilled throughout the week. It is important that everyone works together and is willing to help one another if someone is confused about some of the work. “Teamwork makes the dream work.” (Maxwell, J. C. 2002).

Body

            Each week we are all given an assignment to work on by the Project Coordinator. This will give us something to help us get our hours for the week in case our clients are not contacting us. Sometimes the clients do not respond quickly or they do not have much for us to do. This week we were all asked to write a SWOT report on University Consulting. We were allowed to either write an essay or create a PowerPoint. I chose to write a PowerPoint for the project. Research always needs to be done and so I have been evaluating University Consulting trying to discover their pros and cons to write the best SWOT report that I can.

            Each week we must also keep in touch with our clients to ensure they are being helped with everything that they have asked for help with. I am currently working as an Operations Consultant and I personally have two clients that I am helping. My first client is Better Brodhead they are a non-profit organization out of Wisconsin that help troubled teens with sexual assault and drug problems. They have asked for help with creating a Volunteer and Recruitment Plan for their organization. I personally did not know where to even begin with this so I started doing research to see what information I could find. I also asked my team for help, I contacted my Project Coordinator and asked him where he thought I should begin I also asked another women who has been helping me to get acquainted with my other client. My Project Coordinator informed me to ask the client if they have anything in place right now and what the volunteers will be needed for. We also have to create a sign-up sheet and advertise for volunteers. The other women that I asked for help from told me she hadn’t done much work with this kind of thing before but to start with research and advertising and gave me the name of someone I could contact for help. My team helped me to find somewhere to start helping the client so that now I can proceed forward. According to Root III, G. N. (2016) “An efficient team can be trained as a group, help each other maximize their job performance, and help to make an inviting and productive atmosphere for new team members.” This internship has definitely accomplished that, everyone on my team has been exceedingly helpful with everything that I have asked for help with.

            My other client is The Parenting Place and The Children’s Museum located in Wisconsin. They help parents with learning to handle children and learning to protect and help their children grow. They are working on a coupon book to help promote business for themselves and their communities. They were given to me by another intern because my other client had not contacted me in some time and I did not have anything to do so I asked for work to ensure that I could be getting my hours. The PP & CM has contacted me to help them with getting phone numbers for potential donors to the coupon book and to help with follow up calls to the donors. I have received the list of donors and I have been finding phone numbers until the coordinator and I can speak over the phone about what it is she would like me to be asking the potential donors. I have noticed during these projects that everyone within University Consulting really works together and helps each other throughout everything. Everyone has been very willing to help me when I have questions and concerns. University Consulting has done an amazing job with adapting to the changing times and creating this internship online for the working students. According to Tollman, P., Toma, A., Roghe, F., Morieux, Y., Maaseide, S., Tamboto, E., and Koike, J., (2016) “the priority concern for many business leaders is to adapt to the changing conditions in order to boost their company’s performance.” This is a great explanation of what University Consulting has done they have allowed students to finish their degrees with their internship without taking time off of their jobs because at this point most people have to be working in order to support themselves.

Conclusion

            Businesses are always going to have difficulties and are always going to be striving to do the best they can but teamwork is what will push them to get there. Most people have had good and bad jobs and know what good and bad teamwork looks like so striving for good teamwork is what all businesses should be doing. I have found that while being an intern with University Consulting everyone really does work as a team and is always willing to help each other and get all of the work done that is necessary.

Recommendations

            Research is always the best recommendation for any issue. Doing research to help you understand an issue and then how to solve it is always where you should start. In a business asking for help from your team members is also a great place to start because everyone always has different opinions and this can help you to find the best answer. In my current projects within in my internship I asked my team members for advice on where to start and I got a lot of great advice and I started doing research to find any information that is available to me.

Internship Management Report

Management Report

Introduction

University Consulting is designed to provide services to their customers by guiding and assisting them in all areas of the University. The position of Lead Research Representative within the Sales and Marketing Department is being held by myself. This position requires the following duties to be performed:-

a.     Research a minimum of 20 small non-profit organizations in my country (Bermuda).

b.     Advise them of University Radio and Feed America (not applicable to Bermuda).

c.     Collect information of these organizations in a spreadsheet to include name, email address, telephone number.

d.     When/If the organization accepts, mail, fax or email welcome packets

e.     Update the weekly spreadsheets and send weekly updates to the Sales & Marketing Manager/Director.

f.      Coordinate with the Research Representatives to gather their feedback to reach weekly department goals.

Current workings

Currently working on reaching out to several more non-profit organizations and awaiting a response from them. Within the last two weeks have contacted a total of 71 non-profit organizations with 1 who has declined, 1 who has accepted and awaiting a response from 68. After 48-72 hours, we will than send a follow-up email to the 68 non-profit organizations that have not responded as yet.

Current Challenges

This week’s progress has been slow due to my location and University Radio being based in the USA. The local non-profit organizations do not feel that they will benefit from being offered free radio space as it is located in the USA. Advising the customer that this is an actual “link” that they can use on their social media networks and websites has become a bit of a tedious process convincing them. Noticing that the head of Advertising/Marketing department persons tend to be a bit elderly, therefore making it tougher for them to understand. If the radio station was based in Bermuda, the response rate would definitely be higher.

Addressing Challenges

            Addressing this challenge would be to contact someone at University Radio to get a better understanding of how this works. This was done last week but the person has directed me to someone else. One would need to get a better understanding of how University Radio would benefit the non-profit organizations located her in Bermuda. They would also need to know how their listeners will be able to hear the advertisements.

Conclusion

            Before being put in these types of positions, one should conduct a background check to see if the positon will benefit the person as well as the organization. Being put in a position knowing that the organizations will not be interested can be a waste of time and effort.