We’ve reached that bittersweet time of year when the sun sets a little earlier and the air begins to cool. It’s also time for our summer intern to head back to campus, leaving the Shamrock offices much quieter and with less youthful swagger.
While we’re sad to see her go, we’re happy to have worked alongside our intern Kaleigh this summer. She has not only survived but thrived at Shamrock. We’ve enjoyed her energy and fresh perspective and are excited to keep up with her as she begins her junior year.
As part of Kaleigh’s sendoff, we shared a farewell lunch and had some fun with exit-interview questions.
Here are the takeaways from Kaleigh’s Summer at Shamrock internship experience:
You were able to work in various departments throughout your internship—which was the most fun or enjoyable?
The most fun and enjoyable department is the marketing department. I was able to see how Shamrock works with different companies and assist with various marketing projects for these companies. I also worked with the Culture Club a lot and helped organize the birthday boxes and plan the summer outing for the Shamrock employees. It was fun to be creative and collaborate on ideas to see what would fit people’s tastes.
Do you have a favorite project or task that you enjoyed most?
I have enjoyed assisting in business reviews and the summer outing for two reasons. When it came to helping create business reviews for Shamrock, I learned more about how Shamrock operates and how they work with other companies to ensure satisfaction and keep them engaged in finding different ways to market within their industry. This project was interesting and beneficial to learn more about for the future.
However, working with Caryn has been fun collaborating on the summer outing! I could see what Caryn does to provide a better culture for Shamrock and activities for coworkers inside and outside the office. It was fun to pick a theme, base the day on that, and work with the Botanical Gardens in Cleveland to make it an enjoyable day for Shamrock.
What was the greatest life/business lesson learned from your internship experience?
The greatest life/business lesson I have learned from my internship is that it is okay not to know what you are doing all the time. Projects and various tasks in your department take time. You need to be patient and remember to ask questions when you do not understand something. Even if you think you have mastered something, every day can be a new learning experience.
What was the most surprising thing you discovered about working at a marketing/communications company?
Something I found surprising from working at a marketing/ communications company is that marketing and communications are so much more than working with a company to run their social media or website for customers. Everyone in the company collaborates with different departments to team up with different clients to make sure all their needs are met. Shamrock is unique as they have many different services to provide to different customers, such as brand marketing, creative design, digital, print production + packaging, premium + promotional merchandising, technology, and fulfillment of various products for their customers.
If you could pick your job at Shamrock, what role would you choose?
Going into this internship, I took this opportunity as a learning experience to better understand what I want to do after college. It is so hard because I do not even know what I am going to do next week. Everything I have learned has been helpful in what my career could look like moving forward.
If I could pick my job at Shamrock, I would choose either a role in marketing or sales. These roles are personalized to each employee and the company. Both roles also play a curial part in Shamrock. On the marketing side, I enjoy being creative and working with others in communicating and delivering a product to help a company grow. However, working in sales allows a more active role in representing the company. You get to stay on your toes and try and sell a product or service that Shamrock offers to a brand and try and allow both parties to benefit. Overall, I appreciate that Shamrock has given me a deeper understanding of both these roles.
Which skills have you improved based on your work this summer?
Throughout this summer, I have learned various skills. Something I really improved was transitioning from Google software to Microsoft software. Working on the HP desktop, I had to take my skills and adapt them to Shamrock’s services. I was able to get a better understanding of Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. I have also improved in managing my work, balancing each project, and ensuring everything was done on time. And I also think working at Shamrock has given me a better sense of confidence to work in a workplace. Working with a company in an area of study I am interested in after college was great.
What was the most monotonous intern task you had to manage? (Be honest!)
The most monotonous task I had to manage was working in HubSpot because it took a long time and got repetitive, adding clients into the system and making sure all their information was put into the system. But overall, working with HubSpot was a good learning experience and a great skill I will be able to take after this internship. I could see how marketing and sales work hand in hand to communicate with potential customers.
If we videotaped your internship experience, which moments would make the blooper reel?
If I videotaped my entire internship experience, there would be several moments that would make my blooper reel. First, my ongoing game of phone tag with Bob De Garmo. Because the sound on my desktop did not work, every time he would call, I would have to quickly log in on my laptop to respond, often missing the call. Whenever my air pods would not connect, it would be funny yet frustrating. And because I love music, I would casually (and constantly) lip-sing Taylor Swift while working on various projects.
Sum up your summer internship in three words.
If I sum up my summer internship in 3 words, they would be surprising, beneficial, and impactful.
If you could put music to your summer internship experience, what song (+ artist) would be your soundtrack?
This summer, I was one of the lucky people who beat the Ticketmaster disaster of getting Taylor Swift tickets. And at the end of June, I went to her concert in Cincinnati. I have listened to her on repeat every day this summer.
If you could write a book about being an intern, what would you title it?
From the wise words of Taylor Swift, if I could write a book about being an intern, I would title it “Shake It Off.” You will face some hardship, whether in an internship or moving forward with a career, and everything is not going to go the way you want. That is okay. Throughout your career, you are going to continue to learn about yourself and what is next on your path. I would remind myself to shake off the stress and anxiety and understand that people are going through something like you and that whatever is going on that you can only go up from here.
If you had to advise next year’s incoming interns, what would you tell them?
If I could give advice to next year’s incoming interns, I would say to them that it is okay not to know what you are doing. Internships are meant to be a learning experience for you and the company. As you work on certain projects, the company will also learn what they can do to improve for the future.
I would also remind them to ask questions because no question is a bad question. Learning different skills at your internship is okay because you can use those skills that some people might not have in your future career. Also, a benefit is to bring headphones to listen to your favorite songs during work projects!
We’re happy to have shared the summer internship experience with Kaleigh. It’s been rewarding for our team to watch her learn and grow and to see our everyday job experiences through her eyes. A bonus: We loved vibing to her Taylor Swift soundtrack all summer.
Thank you for all your hard work, Kaleigh. Best of luck this year—we hope it’s your best yet!
