How My Internship Shaped My Career
Before I graduated from college, I knew I wanted to have a job lined up when I graduated. That’s why 8 months before I graduated, I updated my resume, I picked out my most professional outfit, and I headed to the career fair at my university. I remember the surprise of seeing Esri at the career fair, you mean they might be interested in someone like me?
I nervously approached the booth and spoke with the recruiter. After a quick conversation she started to talk about the next steps! I couldn’t believe it; I was going to land the job! And then, it all came crashing down when she said, “you would be a great candidate for our internship.” Me? The soon to be graduate? Doing an internship, after I graduate? No way!
I left the career fair feeling cautious. Did I really want to do an internship? I had already done a few of those. As I continued to reflect, I decided I would explore the opportunity more, ask questions, and continue with the interview process.
I interviewed for the internship just a few weeks later and felt the excitement come back as I spoke with my soon to be Esri colleagues. Everyone was kind, funny, and so extremely intelligent. Just a few weeks later I had an offer from a different company for a full-time job, and an offer from Esri for an internship. I decided to accept the internship, and I could not have begun to imagine how the internship would end up shaping my life and career for years to come.
What I learned from my Esri Internship
How to Network like a Professional
The first day of my internship I was introduced to almost 75 people. It was overwhelming to say the least, but I decided by the end of the month I would speak to every person that I met and remember their name and something about them. This allowed me to learn about different paths, what folks felt was important to being successful as a full-time employee, and hear about the technology each person specialized in. Ultimately, some of these people conducted my interviews to be a full-time employee and having an existing relationship helped me to feel comfortable when the time came. Additionally, many of these folks are my colleagues to this day and having a strong relationship allows us to work together and collaborate.
Networking is still one of my favorite parts of being a professional and it all stems back to my first day as an intern and seeing the importance of connecting and growing relationships!
ArcGIS Technology
As a college student, I was exposed to ArcGIS Software, but there is nothing like getting to use the software as a professional. During my internship we were tasked to complete a project using multiple parts of the technology. This project gave me the chance to dive deep into ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise, and Enterprise Geodatabases. Additionally, our intern group competed in the Esri Intern Hackathon. We were not developers, but still had the best weekend creating a solution using a Story Map, python analysis, and publishing web services.
The understanding of ArcGIS Technology from my internship led me to support Desktop, ArcGIS Online, and ultimately land in the ArcGIS Enterprise space for years. I felt comfortable and confident when I made these moves based on the time I had to explore as an intern.
Organization Structure and Positions
When I was graduating from college, there were multiple positions at Esri that interested me. During my internship, I was able to gain an understanding of how Esri is structured and learn more about each position. I also kept in close contact with the recruiter I met at the career fair. She helped me navigate through different positions within Esri and ultimately helped guide me to apply and interview to be an Analyst in Support Services.
My experience since the Internship
Being an analyst allowed me to become more comfortable and confident in the software, while also providing me with the flexibility to explore extracurricular activities at Esri. I became a geo-mentor where I was able to go to local schools and share GIS with the class, I helped with recruiting at universities, and became a member of the Esri YPN Advisory Board.
Today, I am a Senior Readiness Lead within Support Services, where I get to provide learning opportunities to our interns, new hires, and existing analysts to help them dive deeper into the software. I also continue to be a member of the YPN Advisory Board and have loved watching YPN continue to build and grow. The Esri internship shaped my life in ways I didn’t know were possible, and I’m so grateful that I put my pride aside and interned, even after I graduated.
If you’re starting to think about what comes next after college, check out the Esri Student Programs! Internship and assistantship applications opened on September 1st and close December 31st.
Additionally, come meet up with Esri staff at our upcoming Recruiting Events. You can use the Careers page to find a recruiting event near you.