Starting a new job can be a nerving experience. There’s new people, a new role, and more responsibility. But, that is also what makes a new job fun and exciting. An internship is a chance to introduce you to a role that may interest you upon graduating college. My internship at Angie’s List has been nothing short of eye-opening. I didn’t know what to expect when I first started. I had heard from others how great of a company Angie’s List was, so I was eager to see if that held true once I arrived. And, it has. Angie’s List takes great pride in their interns—there are over 30 of us here this summer—and goes to great lengths to make us feel part of the company. Interns are given daily tasks, and some take on various projects with supervisors over our time here. Personally, I’ve worked on retrieving and organizing data—using SQL (Structured Query Language)—to be given to our Call Center and Concierge teams allowing them to make phone calls to potential and existing customers. The majority of my work here, though, has revolved around a new product called SnapFix, which debuted in 2014. In short, you can upload a picture of a project you want to be completed through Angie’s List app, and we will match you will the highest rated service provider in the area. I performed an analysis of SnapFix, put it in a presentation format—and after many meetings to get it just right—delivered it to several Directors and Managers for review. I presented my findings in a presentation, detailing the reasoning behind some of the suggestions. I was amazed at the opportunity. How many times do interns get to interact with upper management on projects? I was excited I got to take part in such a project, and I can’t wait to see where it goes. Who knows, maybe in 6 months, I’ll end up seeing my ideas being used.
The company has provided many fun activities for the interns here as well. We had a day at the Children’s Museum, an upcoming social media workshop, mock interviews and resume help. Did I mention there is a 24-hour softball tournament the entire company takes part in? It’s why Angie’s List has a sparkling reputation with its employees, and one of the reasons it’s a top company to work for in Indiana and the country. One of the other opportunities presented to interns is a chance to shadow different departments. This can happen up to two times. I recently shadowed the Corporate Communications team and Marketing team—and boy was it informative. I was able to talk to the Director of Communications, Media Relations Manager, Executive Writer, Content Marketing and Promotions Manager, and finally the Vice President of Corporate Communications. After the communications team, I shadowed Laura Crafton in the Marketing Department. She was incredibly knowledgeable about how to best market and brand your business, and I was able to learn a lot just in the few hours we were together.
We’ve also met many executives during our time here. That list includes interim Chief Executive Officer Mark Howell (He actually gave every intern an interesting book about how to act in the workplace when you’re just starting your career), Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer Angie Hicks (she is the face of the company, and the person it is named after…and a DePauw graduate). I have also met with the Executive Vice President of Sales Insight and Optimization personally and learned about his job, how he used his education, and how he manages and leads the people underneath them. For me, all valuable information I plan to use as soon as possible once I get back to school and in future jobs.
None of this would be possible without the gracious help of the Lilly Endowment, as well as Wabash. I continue to tell others how Wabash provides opportunities that few others get a chance to experience. My supervisor, JP Patterson, is a Wabash graduate—class of 08—and has made me feel a part of the company since the beginning. He has allowed me to sit in on meetings and been very resourceful when I have questions about how the business operates. He has given me multiple opportunities for growth and development—for that, and I’m thankful. This internship has been a fantastic opportunity to learn about corporate business—and it has prepared me for a job after school, whether that is at Angie’s List or elsewhere.
