Starting out: Beginning an internship
Hi there!
Who am I?
I’m Rosalia, and I just finished my first year in Business and Management at the University of Exeter. I am originally from Birmingham and studied engineering before deciding business was my forte.
A few things about me:
- I really enjoy swimming, a hobby passed on from my dad, and love playing basketball with friends (despite not being very good!).
- Baking is another one of my hobbies, if cracking an extra egg into brownie mix qualifies as such!
- I dedicate time to reading every day, having set myself a goal of 50 books a year, and am currently reading “Dunkirk”.
I’ve chosen to study a wide range of sectors and aspects of the business at University, including behind-the-scenes work often not advertised. Through my experience in studying marketing at University, but also during my time working as the Director of Marketing at college and leader of my school magazine, I have been able to immerse myself in creativity and production. As a result of this, I began to search for opportunities which allowed me to further develop my skills, whilst experiencing marketing within a business. I was excited upon finding an internship opportunity with Joanne Manville Virtual Assistance, as it gave me the chance to develop my knowledge whilst contributing to the day-to-day functions of a business I admire.
What I’ve been up to:
Beginning with my time as manager for my school magazine, being inquisitive and resilient has been integral to my goals for the future. The time I spent delegating tasks, supporting articles, arranging interviews, and finding advertisers were not only meaningful in terms of knowledge and connections but also helped me recognise what roles I see myself in, in the future. Organisation and management have always been important to me. After completing my time with the school magazine, the enjoyment and skills I took from the experience further confirmed my intention to pursue this industry and career, which I further ensured by attaining a position as General Secretary on the committee of a university student society.
For my position with the student society committee, I was responsible for organising events, producing risk assessments, and carrying out the administrative needs of the society, such as locating event venues, collaborating with the treasurer to ensure sufficient funding was available, and networking with other societies to navigate joint events. I found that my skill set allowed me to excel within this role, and I thoroughly enjoyed both the creative and collaborative aspects of the position. Similarly, having spent a term as a member of Exe Consulting, a student initiative which supports a range of organisations with business plans, strategies and advice, I was able to further expand on my professional communication skills and make better-informed decisions regarding my future career.
The future and beyond:
Despite being in the initial stages of this internship, I have genuinely enjoyed the process and already feel like a part of the team. Joanne has been a highly positive, welcoming and supportive force, which has allowed me the opportunity to develop my soft skills whilst also feeling productive and useful. The support that this company provides to business owners resonates with what I hope to accomplish in my career and I am excited to continue developing and learning throughout the course of this internship so that I can apply this gained knowledge in the future.
I would love to connect, and talk, on LinkedIn! My profile can be found here.