Now What?

This summer I spent two months at a new job, in a new city, and in an industry in which I knew nothing about. I was excited, nervous, and curious to what this company could teach me in such a small time period. Initially, in my Personal Plan Paper, I described Now What Research as a creative think tank. When writing this around four months prior, I had no idea how accurate that statement would become.

In my two papers leading up to the internship as well as the Learning Contract, I outlined three goals that I wanted to learn while interning at Now What Research. The first was to improve upon my presentation skills by presenting to a large corporation at the completion of my internship. I originally thought that I would only have one, final presentation to learn this skillset, however I had ample opportunities to reach this goal. I presented in small group settings with my team to outline possible paths for the deck construction as well as presented to my company as a whole on multiple occasions from brain storming sessions to project workshops. My final presentation was for a multinational media conglomerate company to present on seven trends surrounding Gen Z to be used for insights that would drive advertisements and new media content for the next five years. I presented my personal deck to a team of three executives at the corporation to receive feedback for the next round of edits. Due to my previous practice within Now What, I was able to present better than I had ever before in an efficient and articulate manner to bring to life all of my work. The second goal I hoped to accomplish was to gain efficient research tactics. I was often placed on at least two to three research teams that ranged from the food and beverage industry to the healthcare industry. This meant that my day to day tasks changed drastically. I had to be able to switch mindsets and strategies quickly and efficiently without any errors. Therefore, the research tactics used to tackle one task varied with each industry. I was quickly thrown into the mix and had to learn which research tactics worked for tackling ovarian cancer and what worked for understanding social media influencers. At first, this was time consuming and a challenge but through the guidance of my co-workers and trial and error, I can proudly say I can know where to look and how to decipher varying research outlets, both primary and secondary. My last goal was to gain better time management skills. This aligns with my previous goal as most of my time was spent either researching or putting the research into an organized deck. I was often tasked with upwards of six assignments per day with strict deadlines of either one day out or by the end of the day. Being able to learn to finish the work quickly, shift between tasks, and deliver quality work came with a learning curve. However, as I began to pick up on useful research tactics, the time it took me to complete an assignment was cut down. This allowed me to manage my projects and my time to successfully never miss a deadline. Thus, through the guidance of my co-workers and a series of trial and errors, I can proudly say that I have met my goals.

While I only outlined three goals for learning opportunities, I was able to learn far more than I expected while interning this summer. Outlined in my Learning Contract, I noted four ways in which I hoped to reach my objectives: reading the Blography, sitting in on meetings, presenting on my ideas, and through the use of brainstorming sessions. While I did find these useful for helping me reach my goals, I did far more than I ever expected that allowed me to learn about the industry on a greater level. At the start of the internship, I would come in early and stay late reading past case studies. I have never written a deck nor knew the criteria behind market research. Thus, I tasked myself early to learn from those that have been in the industry to see if I could pick up on any patterns. This set me up well when I began tasks of reading the Blography because I knew the material to pick out that would be most useful. Additionally, I was tasked with more opportunities earlier into the internship as I presented ideas that aligned with how the company previously set up their decks. I was able to learn the importance of speaking up even when you are in a room full of your superiors. More often than not, my ideas were either used as a platform for a useful plan of action or was the actual idea that allowed us to move on from a brainstorm session. While all the tools that I outlined previously were helpful to achieving my goals, the best thing that I learned was that my voice carries more weight that I had previously believed. Even though I was labeled an intern, I quickly discovered that my ideas were just as important as a Senior Strategist.

Now What Research allowed me to learn tangible skillsets in such a short time period, however the network connections that I made could not have been recreated in another atmosphere. Due to the open floor plan and multiple projects I was tasked with, I was able to work closely alongside almost every co-worker with a few exceptions. As I mentioned in my Personal Contribution Paper, I wanted to finish this internship with a solid network of connections. Additionally, as seen in my Learning Contract, I outlined that the best way to evaluate my progress was through my co-workers. This remains true, however the best way that I learned about the inside workings of market research was through them as well. They served as my mentors, teachers, and the people in which I turned to the most throughout this summer. I leaned on them when I felt overwhelmed that the work may never stop coming and I felt empowered by them when they applauded my work that I was so proud of creating. It was not by studying the case studies or reading the Blographies that allowed me to learn as much as I did in two short months; it was the people that I was surrounded by each day that taught me everything I now know, and for them I owe my all my progress. Due to their guidance, I was able to excel at a far greater rate than expected, as noted by the President and my superiors. Thus, I achieved the one thing outlined in my Personal Plan Paper that I was wary of the result: I have been offered a full-time position as an Associate Strategist starting next summer.

While I have touched on how I have leaned on co-workers and myself to advance, my Leadership Studies courses had an impact on how I approached my workload as well as the way that I observed the company as a whole. As reflected upon in my blog posts, I outlined that Now What Research had clear leadership roles that, even within my first week, I could see. Due to the natural layout of the office, the desk clutters seemed to be organized based on the teams that were working together with the most important cases further down, away from the front door. As I began to prove myself amongst my co-workers through the work I was delivering, I saw my desk begin to move forward toward the “more important” clusters. This attributes to the Social Identity Theory as it altered the way in which I approached my workload. As my time at Now What Research extended and I earned more credit for my abilities, I began to feel closer to the company, especially the team that I was working with. I started to refer to Now What Research as “we” when I initially referred to the company as a “you guys.” I began to see myself as part of the company rather than a two-month guest. Due to this increased sense of belonging, I naturally felt more inclined to work longer hours and go the extra mile to impress my team. I felt encouraged when I could come in each day knowing that I got everything done the night before, even if that meant a few late nights and one too many coffee runs. This leads to the next theory that was explicit throughout working alongside superiors, LMX theory. Professor Von Reuden explored this in depth in his Theories and Models course that explored small communities, like Now What Research, that showcased how maintaining close connections within a small network community encourages those involved to work harder. This was clearly understood as I analyzed the workstyle at Now What Research. As I began to get closer with colleagues, organized lunches began to be part of our routine and did not feel mandatory but instead became a meal over lunch with friends. I began to feel personally connected with the people that were assigning me work, pushing me to deliver on what was asked of me before the deadline and with my top abilities. I felt such a personal connection that I agreed to do freelance work for the company starting this year. While I was hesitant to believe that my Leadership Studies theories would be easily transferrable, as soon as I stepped into the office it all began very apparent.

As this summer draws to a close, I cannot help but feel sentimental reflecting on my time at Now What Research. I learned far more than I ever expected, was tasked with responsibilities that I never knew an intern would be trusted with and met a large network of connections that I know I can lean on when I need anything. They gave me an incredible experience, and for that I will always be grateful. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for my career, perhaps I’ll even be sitting at my desk on the tenth floor all over again.