Intern Stories: 5 Life Lessons Learned in My Summer with KORE

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to join the KORE marketing department as an intern.

As a rising senior double majoring in Sports Management and Marketing, I have had previous experience in the sports world and wealth management. However, I had never had a truly marketing-focused internship before. Here are five things I learned during my time at KORE:

1. Going into the tech world without previous experience was nerve-wracking to say the least. However, you learn quickly. I was very overwhelmed before starting since I had little knowledge of the industry and the jargon and terminology used. I was worried I would be lost in every meeting and need to Google things constantly. While I did resort to Google now and then, for the most part, I was able to use context clues to figure things out. Additionally, everyone knows you are an intern and will explain things thoroughly before giving you a task, which brings me to my next point.
2. People want to help and see you succeed. Like I said before, everyone knows you're an intern and that you are currently learning not only about the industry but also what it is like to be a professional in the workplace. Everyone is incredibly willing to answer questions and re-explain things when needed, which definitely eases the nerves. Most people are genuinely kind and want to be useful, so never be afraid to reach out to someone when things don't make sense or when you want advice on something.
3. Listening is one of the best things you can do to get ahead. As an intern, you will likely get invited to sit in on lots of meetings, some related to your position, some not, and a lot of the time you may not know exactly what is happening. However, the more you listen and take in the information, the more things will make sense. You will learn about your company from different angles and become more comfortable with the vocabulary. As an employee, you should know about all general aspects of the company for which you work and listening in on meetings is a great way to learn.
4. Things don't always go as planned. While this rule could be about life in general, it also describes the workplace perfectly. You will have multiple projects you are working on; sometimes, things will be straightforward and done quickly, and other times you will have to redo things or change something at the last minute. My best advice is not to get discouraged when someone asks you to change your work or when you have to make last-minute changes to something. Most of the time, the changes are not due to poor work but rather an evolving workplace. If you learn how to handle this adversity well and take it in stride, it will make you more valuable to any company and will be something that sets you apart.
5. Lastly, I learned that relationships are often more important than anything else. While it is important to do great work, it is also incredibly important to make genuine connections with your team. Ask them about their personal lives and have a little fun throughout the day – it makes the workday go a lot quicker. Additionally, these connections could be important throughout your career. Don't be afraid to be yourself and make a few jokes every now and then; we are all human, and the light-hearted moments make the day that much better.
   

I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity with KORE and greatly value the knowledge and connections I gained while interning here!