INTERNSHIP PAPER

Introduction

As a student who major in business management, I undertook an internship that offered me practical knowledge of the job training in my professional career. The internship program offers an exchange of experience in exchange for service between the student and the organization. This program offers a chance to determine the level of interest in a particular area. It also makes it possible to create a network of contact between individuals in the organization and also attain school credit (Perlin, 2012). As internship can be permanent or temporary mine was temporary. The period was limited but I gained a lot during this time upon its completion.

During my internship period, I was expected to do much. This was much expected of any intern to show great enthusiasm for the job as it was an area of personal interest. I not being different I was very energetic and tackled everything that I was supposed to do with great joy and energy because I wanted to learn more (Hodges, 2011). During this period, I was faced with data entry work which was a routine thing. Every morning I would feed the system with the previous day data. The system for filling this data was computerized and for the first couple of days, I was shown how to do it. It was a simple and there was a systematic way of doing it. I also had the responsibility of copying documents to make sure there were also hand-written copies that would be a form of backup information just in case the system failed. Making of excels was also one of my many responsibilities. This came by with the confirmation of arithmetic accuracy of the company daily expenses (Bottner, 2007). I also ensured that there were supporting documents to all the receipts and they were signed by the relevant persons. I was also faced with the responsibility of making representation for the company meetings with it clients. I was lucky to have the chance as I was able to know how to draft this presentation. The secretaries to the company help me with the documents as they made a correction to any place that I would have made a mistake. This gave me a chance to know more and be well equipped.

            With these responsibilities assigned to me, I was able to learn a lot. This includes how to cooperate with the coworkers. The building of a good relationship with them helped me in the program. I was able to learn that in order to be successful teamwork had to work. These involve respecting them, creating of boundaries and also assisting one another to achieve objectivity (Akwetey, 2011). This also created a chance for me to separate work issue with personal ones to enhance a conducive working environment. I was able to become confident in my work and also learned how an organization operates. I was given a chance and I was equipped with real life experience skills that will go a long way my career path (Dumas, 2013).

While in school were asked to look for an organization that we would work as an intern. I was lucky to have a father who owned an organization and he gave me a chance. He gave me the chance so long as I would not ask for any special treatment. I would work out just like any other internship in his company. I was expected to work as hard as all the other interns are required in order to equip themselves with life experience in the professional career path. I secured myself a position in the organization and I had to prove myself that I deserved a chance and not because it is not my father’s company (Bottner, 2007).

In this program, I was able to develop my career professional. Mostly in class business management is theoretical rather than practical. I was given a chance how to apply my business management knowledge gained in class into a business enterprise. The knowledge that I learned theoretically in class was now applicable practically at work. The data entry, presentation, copying of documents and making of excels was now in real life. This also gave me a better and a clear understanding of how to go about in business management (McGarvey, B., & Hannon, 2004). The fact that there was loads of work that I was supposed to do every day everything else was enjoyable. This is because I was on a path of shaping my career and making it better since it was something that I enjoyed. I looked forward every morning to work and gain more knowledge and gain the experience that would assist me outside when I was done with learning. It was also made even stricter for interns to miss work due to small and personal matter. The company made sure that the absenteeism trend would appear in the report. This was something that I did not like because I wanted my report to be the best. This developed me into a better business management professional to make thing right by doing it right and separating of personal issues with that of work (Dumas, 2013).

In class, there were theories of how to make a presentation which did not seem so practical. During my internship program, I was able to do the presentation. I would draft them and I was corrected in case of an error. The presentation was made according to the business and the nature of any discussion the company was to engage in. this presentation made me realize the importance they have and how important the theory learned in class was important (McGarvey, B., & Hannon, 2004). The excel documents seemed just lame figure that anyone came up with but during the internship I was proven wrong. These are actual figures that are extracted in the company’s portfolio. These figures do not just make but anyone but they are a reflection of how an organization is faring and it performance that is measured in mathematical figures. The best experience during the internship program was about business management. It involves a lot to manage an entity and make it profitable as well as making it have a better image to the community. The business area was of much assistance as I was able to learn how an organization is run and operated to achieve objectivity (Bottner, 2007).

With the internship program being the first experience I would have in a working environment I was faced with some challenges. I was expected to deliver to my supervisors who were not only strict but they were also efficient in what they were doing. I envied them which because of what they could do within a very short time frame (Akwetey, 2011). This made me feel out as I was clumsy during the first days. I felt unprepared to work in such a busy organization considering the co-workmates who looked a bit older than I was. They looked as if they were super-efficient while I was struggling to do some little work. They were so serious about what they were doing which made me doubt myself a little. I would ask myself when I will ever be serious like them (Dumas, 2013).

The impact of the internship is something to celebrate about. The internship program pinpointed my strong and weak areas. This gave me a chance to analyze my weak points and how to make them better. During this period I was able to become organized with what I did (McGarvey, B., & Hannon, 2004). I was able to perform my duties more efficiently and also within a short time frame. The work became more systematic and I also enjoyed it. During this time I was able to see how the company handles its emergencies without affecting the normal business operation. The devoting the management has in performing its work is something that I saw. How the junior staffs are motivated to enhance better work and mutual benefits of the employees and that of the organization (Akwetey, 2011). These were a theory of how employees can be motivated to make sure that they give their best during class. I saw how that happened in the company. This resulted in fewer staff turnovers with less absenteeism and lateness. The little effort of the staff was acknowledged by the management which made the employees work better and happier. This help me in my career because it showed a great balance between employees desire to be recognized and the company’s aim to achieve objectivity (Dumas, 2013).

The company’s reputation contributed to my career. The company had a better and an attractive image to the society because of the corporate responsibility the company undertook. The society was happy with the projects the organization was carrying to benefit them and in return, they became loyal customers. The way the employees treated the company clients played a big role. Clients were always happy when leaving the premise due to the good service is given to them. They always looked forward to coming back. They were treated with respect and at most care. The service was quick and convenient to any client (Bottner, 2007).

            The management, on the other hand, took their role seriously. They were respected by the junior employees. They expected order and cooperation between employees and they found it. This was made possible by punishing those who did not observe the rules of the organization such as costing them their jobs which made all the other staff be aware of what was expected of them (Hodges, 2011). The management also took part in noticing any exemplary performance by any employee and rewarding them accordingly. This made me learn that my career was more involving and it required determination in order to make it succeed. The chain of command was put in practice and everyone was expected to follow it. This was because there were proper job designations that outline the work of every individual in the company. Work was performed with the best level energy because all were to benefit (McGarvey, B., & Hannon, 2004).

During the internship program, I requested my father to give me a chance to participate in management operation in order to gain some knowledge. He was in agreement so with that provided I will be able to perform it all and I was not going to complain about it (Hodges, 2011). I grab the chance which meant that I work twice as hard. It was in line with my passion as I pursued business management. With the making of presentation that was used by the management in their meetings gave a chance to know how to go to go about it. I would appear in their top management meeting not only to see how they were conducted by how they discussed an issue and also coming up with possible solutions.

The meeting comprised of different heads of the department the company secretary and the directors together with the representatives of shareholders. The meetings were systematic but they all had different agendas. In these meetings, I would act as assistance to the secretary to whom I would write minutes and summaries of them. An issue of conflicts between departments was raised and I was able to see how they solved the problem ensuring a win-win situation between the departments without compromising on the objective of the organization as a whole. This gave me a chance to experience how to go about such issue when they arise and am in charge. The whole process was conducted fairly and the outcome was welcomed by all parties (Bottner, 2007).

In the docket of management, I was able to assist the human resource manager in conducting his duties. I saw how employees are hired using different criteria’s and how the process is supposed to be conducted. The process involved transparency, no discrimination, no favors and every job seeker was given a chance to market themselves. This helped me to gain the experience in the field of employees and what the whole process entailed. Through the activities that were performed together with the human resource manager I was able to see the condition the employees should be given and the standards level they should maintain (McGarvey, B., & Hannon, 2004). A lot is involved in an organization with quite a large number of employees, the laws governing them and the rules binding the organization to the employees and how they should be treated. I was able to experience this and also did put it in practice.

The impact of what I learned during the internship assisted me to see my career path just like a profession but something bigger and better that required devotion and passion in order to be successful.  The experienced gained gave me a stronger foundation due to the knowledge gained in class and the practical knowledge during the internship program (Bottner, 2007). My decision to pursue business management became clearer as I had supporting facts from the internship that I enjoyed what I did. This is because I went there shaky and very green to the business world but I came out better and more goal orient person than I went in.

 Conclusion

The internship program was an achievement I was in the molding process. I was equipped with business skill practically and I was able to apply the knowledge gain in class. This was a stepping stone to my career as it gave it even a stronger foundation. The whole experienced gain is a drive engine in my career path as I am more suitable to work in a business management position.

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

 

 

Akwetey, L. M. (2011). Business administration for students and managers. Bloomington, Ind.: Trafford Publishing.

Bottner, R. (2007). Total internship management: The employer's guide to building the ultimate   internship program. Acton, MA: Intern Bridge.

Dumas, M. (2013). Fundamentals of business process management. Berlin: Springer

Hodges, S. (2011). The counseling practicum and internship manual: A resource for graduate     counseling students. New York: Springer Pub. Co.

McGarvey, B., & Hannon, B. M. (2004). Dynamic modeling for business management: An           introduction. New York: Springer.

Perlin, R. (2012). Intern nation: Earning nothing and learning little in the brave new economy.    London: Verso.