I had the privilege of working at
Experience during my spring break as part of
SIUC's Externship Program, this semester. During my week there, I met with almost every staff member about what role they play. I got a full picture of what the company does behind the scenes of their website and how they keep it running. The individuals behind Experience really believe in their website, and are constantly trying to find ways to bring a better website and tools to students to find a job.
Experience is comprised of about 40 people who perform a multitude of tasks. For the size of the company, there is no task too large or too small. I noticed how well everyone works together to get a project done—and I was fascinated to see how Experience manages their servers. I have never seen how an Internet-based company operates before, so it was amazing to see the process of developing products for the Internet. I learned that Experience offers a variety of product solutions for colleges and universities, students and employers, which are all very personalized for each market base.
Even though Experience has been around since 1996, they still have a very cool, entrepreneurial vibe about them. They always seem to be tweaking and experimenting with innovative and fresh ideas to make it easier and more convenient for their clients to use their products. The days that I spent in Boston went by quick, as there was always work to be done. I was excited and impressed when I was asked questions such as "How can we serve you better, as a student?" and "What would you as a student like to see on Experience.com?" Also, as a Finance major, I benefited from learning how Experience manages their funds and what software and projection tools they use to give the most up-to-date analysis of their revenue.
Here is a short list of just a few of the many skills that I picked up during my externship:
Learn to be aware of your surroundings
How to work with a variety of individuals
Be able to react to changes around you
Manage your time on a crunch
The work day does not always end at five
Know how to be comfortable talking about yourself
My time at Experience helped me understand some of the many soft skills needed to be successful in a work environment. There is no value that I can put on the many lessons that my externship at Experience taught me. These types of skills are invaluable for any work environment, and I'm glad I could take away so much knowledge and experience.
Find your best fit opportunity on the Experience network!
