The Intern Story
It's snowing, I’m late, and I have no idea where to park! Those were the thoughts running through my head as I looped around the slick streets of Glens Falls the morning of my first day as an intern at Trampoline. By the time I walked through the door to the office I was frustrated, flustered, and mortified for being late. The fabulous Meg Erickson showed me to my desk, as the introvert inside me cowered in fear as I realized the reality of an open concept office. My computer screen is wide open. My work is on display for everyone to see. I don’t like teachers looking at my work before it’s complete, let alone an entire group of people I don’t know! Ugh, what did I get myself into? Feeling like a bug under a microscope, I settled into my first day and hoped I would get used to this...That was January. It’s now April, and I am THRILLED to say I have accepted a full-time position at Trampoline as a Communications Assistant, to begin after graduation! You might be wondering how a not-so-great first day turned into a full-time position, and I wouldn’t blame you. I didn’t see it coming either. That day may have been rough, but as the weeks went by, I began to realize what a special place Trampoline really is. After a few weeks of social media research, I was tasked to give a presentation to the partners with my findings. I wasn’t particularly nervous, but I knew I wanted the presentation to be clean and professional. I stayed up the night before, preparing a handout to go along with my slides and made sure to practice my presentation verbally. The next morning, as we sat down on the cozy couches that are our “conference room,” I was surprised by how comfortable I felt. Talking to the “owners of the company” may be an intimidating task elsewhere, but Amanda, Paula, Sean, and Derek made me feel nothing but comfortable. They listened, asked questions, joked around, and provided input in a friendly and collaborative way (Not to mention let their dogs come in to cuddle with me). They embodied the type of bosses I was seeking for a future career. Once my research was presented and plan was approved, I was finally able to begin working on the creative aspect of social media. Coming up with posts and social media campaigns, not only fulfilled my creative side, but also allowed me to become more integrated with the Trampoline team. I began to feel more and more at home, and starting to notice the collaborative, laid back, but at the same time hard working, client focused atmosphere of the office.
I believe it all really clicked for me the night of the ADDY Awards. I was invited to the join the team for a night of fun and celebration. We started off at a sushi bar before the main event, where I was congratulated on a successful social media contest and Sean gave out the “Stokie” awards. Similar to the Dundie awards from The Office. An internal award for each team member, congratulating them on their contributions over the past year (and no, there was no “hottest in the office” award.) I didn’t expect to receive one. I knew I wasn’t a real team member, but I was wrong. The award for expert social terrain went to me, and I was surprised and happy to be included. The rest of the night went off like a bang. Trampoline took home award after award including Best in Show, and I was proud to be associated with such a talented group of people. The celebratory ride home was a blast, and I ended the night knowing that if there was an opportunity for me here, I would be stupid not to take it. Obviously, I already mentioned how the story ends. A job opened up, I applied, worried, wondered, hoped, and wished I would get it, and was ecstatic when it was eventually offered to me. Overall, the Trampoline internship experience has been more rewarding than I could have imagined. I’ve learned so much, gained experience, and found the perfect place to begin my career. If you are thinking about interning here, do it! You will find a fun and friendly team, meet lots of dogs, and have the opportunity to complete real work for a great agency!
