Business analytics student shares lessons learned from virtual summer internship
By Halli Said, senior business analytics major
The University of Kansas School of Business encourages students to utilize summer break as an opportunity to gain workplace experience by interning at a company relevant to their major. In the summer of 2020, I took this advice and landed a virtual internship at Zelis, a private analytics company in Overland Park, Kansas, where I spent my summer writing SQL queries and client searching.
I never expected my first corporate job to be virtual, but the experience taught me that efficient communication and understanding how to balance home and work life is essential to succeeding in an online workplace.
1. Efficient communication is essential
My boss and I met Monday mornings via Zoom to discuss the projects I’d be working on that week and got assigned new ones. My boss was busy and, since I couldn’t ask her questions in person, I knew our meetings needed to be efficient. Then, I remembered a quote Rachel Green, lecturer in accounting and Master of Accounting program associate director, once told my class: “Effective communication is not defined by the communication but by the response.” After a few weeks, I learned how to maximize our meetings.
I took notes and asked questions as my boss assigned me projects, then reiterated the instructions back to her to ensure I understood what was expected of me. I sent a detailed email regarding what I had accomplished at the end of every day and included any questions I had so she could get back to me by morning. Additionally, I used my resources and asked other interns questions before asking her. Learning how to communicate efficiently allowed me to create professional relationships with interns, produce accurate work and minimize confusion.
2. Find balance between home and work life
Working from home made it challenging for me to separate my home and work life, as I constantly found myself distracted by unfolded laundry and dusty bookshelves. I reached out to Isabella Hellon, a senior marketing major, who also interned over the summer to ask her how she separated the two.
“It’s not about separating home and work life but finding a balance between them,” Isabella said. “There is work to be done in both areas, just different times you can allow yourself to do so.”
Creating home and work to-do lists, then prioritizing the items helped me find balance. During work hours, I allocated time for my top two to three priorities. At lunchtime, I would allow myself to complete one item on my home to-do list. This allowed me to stay focused on work, but also gave me the satisfaction of completing a chore around the house during breaks.
Apply for a summer internship
Summer internships prepare KU business students for their future careers by giving them professional workplace experience. Students with internship experience increase their chances of getting a job offer after graduation by 32%, according to Zippia, a personalized career search website. I value the lessons I learned at Zelis and am grateful I took the business school’s advice.
Learn more about summer internship opportunities through HireJayhawks.com.
Find information about BUS 310: Internships with Impact, a required internship and concurrent class that’s part of the school’s Professionalism Program, on the School of Business website.
