As a soon-to-be junior at UMass Amherst and a business student in the Isenberg School of Management, I have definitely felt the pressure of nailing a great summer internship to start building a solid foundation for not only my resume, but my future. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to intern at Pongo Resume for the past two summers and gained some incredible experience. Looking back now, I learned so much more than I imagined.
I must say, it didn’t take long for me to notice the quirky, fun, and laid-back atmosphere of Pongo. The green, blue, and purple colored office is filled with flying nerf darts, post-it decorated cubicles, cartwheels in between the aisles, noisemakers, a 7-foot tall mannequin named “Bernie,” and so much more! It’s an environment that emulates creativity and openness that made me feel a part of the team right away.
Since my first day, I worked on an array of projects that allowed me to engage with employees of every department. One project I worked on in particular was to interview every employee and document their duties specific to their position. In doing so, I not only better understood how the business operated but also the diverse, vivacious personalities of the people who comprise the company.
Another project I worked on gave me exposure to analyzing large sums of data. I had to categorize thousands of customer survey comments and decipher the key drivers of customer satisfaction. I was amazed at how much I learned about Pongo’s services, what customers like and don’t like, and opportunities for improvement. I then was given the chance to present my findings and communicate the voice of the customer to the Management team. I also worked alongside the Research Analyst and assisted him in gathering the figures for monthly and quarterly financials which was great experience for my major in Finance.
My internship would not be complete without a ‘How to Write a Resume 101’ session from a resume builder company, and that’s exactly what I got! Dallas, the Customer Support Supervisor, gave me some great advice on how to create a resume, cover letter, reference sheet, and everything you need to know about getting a job. I was given the tools and resources on how to best prepare myself for future employment.
The people here at Pongo are truly dedicated to their mission of helping job seekers find success in their careers. Pongo stays true to their number one core value, ‘Have Fun; Get it Done’ and has provided an enriching experience. I learned that you have to love what you do and do what you love; you must enjoy coming to work every day and enjoy the people who surround you.
This internship has opened my eyes to many perspectives within the business and given me a wide range of experience and confidence that I will need to carry onward in my journey to build a career.
About the Author
Kelsey Reilly has been an Intern at Pongo Resume for two summers. A student of the University of Massachusetts, she is set to graduate from the Isenberg School of Management in 2013 with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance.
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