Not Your Average Internship

When I heard the word internship, I had always associated it with busy work and a menial desk job. I had worked summer jobs all my life and was ready to get my hands wet with what would be more enjoyable work.

I was concluding my sophomore year at the University of Alabama, and summer was coming around quicker than I could imagine. However, this summer was different from my previous summers. I would not return to the same old summer job I had from high school. I was going to be an intern at a software company. Sounds pretty cool to tell your college buddies, right? I didn’t really have a clue what to expect coming in, all I knew was that we must be using computers and not ovens like my previous cookie shop job.

On my first day, I arrived at the Los Gatos office and was pleasantly greeted by the Team there. I immediately felt welcome. I had the opportunity to speak with the members of the management team, along with members of the development team, who were on the front lines of software development. I was given a rundown of what is done here at Procurant. Not just a general overview, but an in-depth look at how each facet of the company operates. Throughout the first few weeks, I was educated in the different systems I would use and could always find help if needed.

Fast forward two weeks, and I would \be off to the Boca Raton office, where most of my summer would occur. When I met the team in Boca, I was excited to see that they were friendlier than I could have imagined. I was greeted with open arms and was taken into the Procurant family. I was immediately thrown into the gauntlet (in a good way). Ryan Schnieder, our customer success manager, taught me all there is to know about working in customer service. Before I knew it, I was taking calls and walking our customers through any issue or question they may have. I consider myself a people person, so I loved the conversations I was able to have with such a great customer base. I had dealt with rude and inconsiderate customers in my previous jobs, but at Procurant, that didn’t seem to be the case. Our customers were always friendly and understanding, making my training process much more enjoyable and stress-free.

As the summer progressed, I was getting involved with more and more aspects of the business. Not only was I working with the Customer Success team, but I was also working with the marketing team on marketing projects as well. What was great about working at a growing, smaller company was the ability to be involved with different aspects of the business. I could answer customer calls one minute, and the next minute work on market research for a new potential customer. This is what I enjoyed the most. I was not restricted to one area of the business. If I wanted to learn about any part of the company, someone would be willing to teach and inform me. As a result of this practice, I learned the ins and outs of the operations that take place here at Procurant. I also saw how the work I was doing was being applied and helping towards the growth of the company. It made me feel like I was contributing, not just running through the motions.

I learned about Salesforce, QuickBooks, HubSpot and much more. These skills are not just specific to my time here, as they are transferable to future opportunities I may encounter. Getting a background in such systems can only benefit me as I proceed forward.

In conclusion, my summer at Procurant was not just a menial desk job, it was the farthest thing from it. It was fun. We even got to take a field trip to Port Everglades to see how our software applies to the real world. Most importantly, though, it was an absorption of knowledge and skills that will benefit me for the foreseeable future. I’m glad I accepted the opportunity to work in such a great environment with such great people. This summer will never be forgotten.