Internships: How to Choose?
Interns are often faced with a difficult decision. Every workplace describes itself as an exciting and dynamic place to work. The challenge in choosing a job or internship is in finding a place that isn’t lying. What does it mean to be exciting and dynamic? How do you tell if an employer’s work culture embodies these qualities? And what does working in an exciting and dynamic environment do for you?
Working at Global Dimensions
It was my first day of work at Global Dimensions. I participated in a zoom meeting where I was introduced to the Program Managers, or “PMs.” Even through the computer screen, I could feel the community, as people joked around with each other before the meeting began. After I was introduced to the team, the PMs eagerly returned to their regular schedule and set about their day with gusto. Thirty minutes after the end of the first meeting, I had a zoom meeting with the recruiting team. Everyone there was so happy to meet me. I thought they were going to try to sell me something.
While I had a lot of meetings in my first few weeks, in the six months I have been interning at Global Dimensions, I have worked on countless projects with just about every department in the company. Global Dimensions is a small enough company that they benefit from interns doing important work, but big enough that there is always something interesting and novel to do.
Internships and Company Branding
When every company brands itself the same way, it can be difficult to tell who is telling the truth and who is hiding behind a veil of corporate jargon. One of the best ways to evaluate a potential job is to meet the person offering the job. They are who you’ll be working for. So your job experience is going to be very dependent on their demeanor as a boss. Establishing the genuineness of the people also cements the credibility of the branding message and mission statement.
Joining the Team
At Global Dimensions, the final step in the application process, before I was hired, was an interview with the guy who would become boss. He immediately set the tone of the interview as a friendly conversation that was still respectful and professional. He was extremely open and honest about their hiring process, and he made himself very accessible.
Since that interview, the work environment at Global Dimensions has been cordial, competent, and considerate. My boss has continued to be genuine and approachable. The company makes it clear that they listen to and care about employee feedback, and everyone does their best to make sure everyone else’s voices are heard.
Getting the Most out of Your Internship Experience
Work is an experience. Like all experiences, the value of work comes from the journey. There are many ways to acquire money, but a job that feels fulfilling can make the other parts of your life better. If you are able to bring the happiness from your job to the rest of your life, you won’t just be improving your life, but the lives of everyone around you as well. There is also some evidence, as explained by Frontiers in Psychology (frontiersin.org), that dynamic workplaces lead to better relationships with your boss.
Conclusion
At Global Dimensions, there is always something exciting happening. People are happy to see you, and you are happy to see them. In effect, you feel listened to, respected, and valued. You are encouraged to offer your opinion and share your ideas. You genuinely feel part of a team. If you are interested in applying for an internship at Global Dimensions, you can find our job postings here on our website and here on Handshake.
by Ben Forest