Choosing Our journey to spearhead my career
What makes people want to go from “intern” to “employee” ? Undergraduates take on internships to gain experience and usually take on different internships before finding a company they would like to kick start their career with. These days, people are pickier, stating that company culture and opportunities for growth might trump a competitive salary. In that case, what makes an intern want to convert?
We spoke to Jovene, our marketing associate intern, who recently converted to a full time role with Our Journey.
What is the best part about interning with Our Journey?
Jovene tells us that the fun loving culture was something she really enjoyed. This environment allowed her to express her ideas freely which made her feel valued at work. In addition to that, she was thankful for the flexibility her job gave her because it made it easier to attain work-life balance, boosting her overall well-being.
What was the hardest part of the job?
J: The hardest part of the job would be calling student centres to ask for their contact details because some people can be quite hostile to us marketing associates. We are tasked to find leads from student care for SEL/ other programmes and the standard procedure for this would be to Google their contact information and drop them a line. On many occasions, they are usually busy, asked to call back later. Other times, they would speak in a hostile manner to question where we got their number from. Upon telling them that this information was online, they would rudely tell us to email them, but instead of providing us with the email address, they would sarcastically tell us to “google it”. I found it extremely unpleasant and was quite concerned as to why there was a double standard when we could potentially work together within the child education industry. This makes me doubtful and worried about sending my own children (in the future) to such institutions.
No one likes cold calling, and getting leads is no mean feat. We could all benefit from a little more kindness and understanding, who knows, perhaps there might be opportunities for positive collaboration.
What was the most meaningful project that you handled?
Jovene’s role involves sales and marketing, so part of her job was to manage active collaborations with other vendors.
J: I found lots of joy connecting with strangers online and mentioned that most of the instashops they collaborated with were very nice and friendly.
Working towards positive online relationships can be beneficial especially in an age dominated by social media, remember, collaboration over competition! Check out our instagram page here and reach out to us if you think we can work together in the future! We are always on the lookout for more partners.
What is your favourite part of the job?
J: I am able to work from home and there is no Monday Blues because we are working on Tuesday – Friday. Having time to recharge helps me perform better at work. Knowing that my well-being is considered encourages me to do my best.
Our Journey is also very mindful of the mental health wellness of their employees, and chooses to not enforce any limit to the number of MCs or leaves our employees can take. We believe that trust is necessary to foster a strong bond. Besides, our employees perform better when they are happy and feel safe in such an environment.
J: My colleagues are very helpful and encouraging. Most of the time, they are willing to guide me when I require help. In addition, they entrust me with important projects such as CocoachNutty Merchandise, which I am able to showcase my creativity in marketing for the products!
Research has shown that giving employees freedom associated with autonomy, job satisfaction rises. This increased level of job satisfaction in employees stems from a feeling of greater responsibility for the quality of their work. Autonomy has also been shown to increase motivation and happiness, along with decreasing employee turnover rates.
What other skills have you learnt and how do you see it benefitting your future endeavours?
J: I have learned how to communicate with strangers comfortably. This is beneficial for me as I will be meeting more strangers due to the nature of my job and I will be able to put this skill to good use. In addition, I am able to create more creative content as compared to the past as my colleagues will provide me with constructive feedback. This is extremely useful in marketing as it will engage our consumers.
What was the main reason you decided to convert to full-time staff and how do you see yourself growing into this role?
J: I enjoy working with my colleagues and I love working with children. Hopefully, I will be able to try out different roles such as trainer for Social Emotional Learning (SEL).
Our Journey encourages their employees to constantly upgrade and pick up new skills. There will be opportunities for Jovene to attend courses and be trained to conduct SEL workshops alongside the other trainers.
Jovene graduated in October this year and had enjoyed working with Our Journey thus far. With opportunities for growth, a supportive environment and work-life balance, it is not hard to see why Jovene would pick Our Journey to kick start her career.
Are you looking to develop and help your employees grow in their profession? Check out our Employee Assistance Programme where we conduct self-care workshops to support staff in personal development. For more information, reach out to us here.
Thank you for reading and remember that whatever battle you’re fighting, you’re not alone. Till next time!
