On my last day as a summer intern at entreQuest, I can’t help but look back on my original goals back in June and assess whether or not I accomplished them over the past few months.
I am currently enrolled as an undergrad at Temple University and according to our Office of the Provost: “Internships give students the opportunity to capitalize on what they are learning in the classroom and apply it in a work setting. Internships help students to enhance their skills, provide practical experience so often sought by employers, and offer excellent opportunities to establish contacts in their career field.”
Well, let's see... Skills, check! Experience, check! And connections, check plus! All in all, I am confident that I will return to campus this fall having earned the college credit at entreQuest in the manner that Temple University expected.
What I personally didn’t expect to learn, however, was the lesson in what corporate core values mean and the magnitude they play in making a difference in the lives of employees and the lives of clients – and therefore, in the life of our communities.
entreQuest has four core values but the one that speaks the loudest to me today is “demonstrate a relentless passion for what we do.” Throughout my summer tenure on the eQ team, I feel fortunate to have had the chance to fulfill all three of the behaviors listed under this value:
1. Be a source of unprecedented energy. This one was sometimes a challenge when it felt like everyone on the team needed help at the same time but I found the best tool was keeping an ongoing list. Walking into the office with 15 projects to do before you have had your morning coffee is typical in the society we live in today – we need things done and we need it done NOW! Lists helped me focus on my priorities throughout my internship. My role was to assist everyone on the team whenever they beckoned and that organized list was what assisted me in keeping my cool and keeping a smile!
2. Seek out opportunities to surpass expectations. Here, I found out that being proactive in researching what needs to be done beforehand puts you at an advantage when trying to make the most of the situation as it unfolds in the future. The more you know, the more you can take initiative and when you don’t wait for people to tell you do something, you can really wow them. Being as ready as possible in advance also allows you to relax more while delivering the best client experience you can.
3. Invest fully in the missions and stories of our clients. At first I wasn’t sure how an intern who wasn’t working around the conference tables with the leaders of eQ's client companies could contribute to the story of their business. Then I realized that every task counts in forwarding their missions. Even if I was setting up a meeting room for a group of frontline staff members or bringing in lunch for a retreat among managers, I was providing an essential piece that would enhance their efforts to make a difference for their employees, their clients, and their community. If I gave all that I could, there’s no telling what kind of growth could stem from even the simplest action.
In closing, here is wishing everyone in the entreQuest community – from employees and clients to friends and family – nothing but continued success as the year reaches the third quarter. Thank you for the experience to grow regardless as an intern this summer, the inspiration to grow regardless as student this fall, and the aspiration to grow regardless throughout my entire working career.
Megan Chlada is an intern at entreQuest who assists all team members with projects that require her skills in administration, organization, coordination, marketing, and event planning.
