Thirteen weeks.
In such a brief time, one may question how much learning and growth can occur in a professional setting. However, as I leave behind my summer internship at TAEC, I am departing with invaluable lessons that will carry me throughout the next chapters of my career. Here are the three most important lessons that I learned during my internship:
1. Team culture is everything. Depending on your role in a company, you may either be working in parallel with your co-workers constantly or more on your own. Regardless, coming to work is infinitely more dreadful if the environment you reside in does not empower you. Empowerment which comes from motivation, laughter, and supportiveness. Seemingly insignificant details like a daily team lunch went a long way in making me look forward to coming to work—a feeling that seldom appears in a company lacking team culture.
2. Ask a question and you are a fool for a minute, never ask and you are a fool for life. Indeed, even in the bustling hard disk drive industry this 5th century advice from Confucius still rings true. As an intern, seeing my manager and the VP ask more questions in meetings than make comments was extremely revealing. Professionals of all walks of life must keep in mind that growth comes through knowledge and exploration. Thus, when in the presence of people who have the knowledge you wish to have, it is imperative to ask questions.
3. Once the tidal wave is conquered, there won’t be waves left to fear. At the start of anything new, nerves are high due to the feeling of unfamiliarity. The start of a new job is no exception. At first, there is a significant number of foreign concepts to become knowledgeable on. Not only that, but there is also the battle of finding your place within the company. However, through the support of your teammates and the courage of your own, the initial weeks of high nerves passes by quick.
I will forever be grateful for these thirteen weeks. I still have much more to learn about being a business professional in the marketing field, but I owe much of my newfound knowledge over the summer to my Toshiba Team. Thank you.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc.