Small companies are great places for summer internships! My experience so far at NYCSCC will help explain why.
One of my WOW learning goals is to network at my internship. While interning at NYCSCC, I met a fellow Brandeis student, Corey Shapiro. Corey is a rising senior and is an intern at a small web development company, Hudson Horizons. When I asked him what his internship duties were, he excitedly explained them to me. One of the projects that he completed involved testing the mobile application of one of Hudson Horizon’s clients. Corey also did research online and found a few potential clients for Hudson Horizons. He said that although there are challenges, his supervisor and his mentor are always there to help him overcome them. When Corey spoke about this support at his internship site, I related it to the intimacy I feel and the guidance I receive at NYCSCC.
Due to the size of NYCSCC, I get to know all my coworkers and can truly collaborate as a team. Furthermore, I get to speak with one of the owners on a weekly basis and have picked up plenty of advice and knowledge based on his experiences. I expect to keep in touch with him and all my coworkers even after my internship ends.
In a small company, I have many internship responsibilities and projects. I have learned to “wear multiple hats” just because there are not enough people to fulfill all of the business functions. Not only am I exploring the company’s finances, I am also helping out in event operations and writing blog posts for the Flatiron Hot! News, a company partnership. As a result of doing a little bit of everything, I am gaining skills that I never thought I would gain this summer.
I have quickly learned that the challenges that small companies face are different from the ones that big companies face. Small companies do not have the same resources as big companies. As an intern, I can provide my coworkers with a fresh, outsider’s perspective. I offer suggestions on what the company is doing well and what it could do better to maximize its resources. I feel valuable. I know that every suggestion I make and every project I do count. By the time my internship ends, I know that I will have an impact on this company.
Both Corey and my experiences show the benefits of interning at small companies. Even though not all small companies come to Brandeis to recruit students, these companies are always looking for interns throughout the year. There are so many opportunities for students to gain knowledge and develop skills at these companies. Students just have to be proactive and look for them.
– Tifani Ng ’16
