We all look for satisfaction in life, a sign that we made the right choice or at least that we are on the right path. We can go years before we find this confirmation in many aspects of our lives.
Going into this summer I decided to work with a company that was a bit out of my comfort zone. It was not in my hometown or any town that I had been to before. In fact, it is in a completely different state than I have been in for 98% of my life. On top of me being directionally challenged in a brand new place, I knew no one I would be working with. I had no clue where the people I would be working with are from, what year in college they were or how much previous experience they had.
As for the company itself, I talked to them at a career fair, interviewed the next day and accepted their offer for an internship the next week. I had never been to their office before, and I never knew anyone who worked there.
My gut instinct knew everything would be fine but there were just so many unknown variables throughout the process that my mind couldn't help but be a little worried.
So on the first day, with the unavoidable knot in my stomach, I went to work. I had met my team the night before at dinner but I still didn't know them. I drove to my job site and when I got there, plans were everywhere. My project for the summer has nearly two handfuls of individual jobs all under the one project. I could tell we were building stuff, but I had no clue yet what exactly was going to be built.
When there is a larger project, there are a lot of voices that go into the construction of the project and they threw me right in to meet everyone on the first day. I shook hands and introduced myself to more people the first day that I had fingers on both hands. I only remembered about two and a half names but all is still well in the world.
As the week progressed I got a little more settled into my team. Since the permit had been delayed on our project. A lot of work was going to meetings and organizing everything to get rolling on the ground once the permit was approved. I was happy with the work I was doing because although some might consider it redundant or boring to sit through meetings, organize bid packages, or sift through submittals, I think it is just part of the project. It has value and value is not boring.
The work is especially interesting when you have a great team. I mean, if you cannot joke around at meetings and still get what you need to be done, then your team is clearly not as great as mine. I am fortunate to have such an amazing team to work with for the summer, but one great team does not attest to the whole company. It is some assurance but a tiny part of me was still waiting for more.
Then I got it.
Monday after a progress meeting, everyone was joking about how no one should give me the check because the intern will just use it to pay for college. It is definitely a fair joke with the price all of us college students are forking over nowadays. Then you took me off-guard.
Out in the hallway you said, despite all the laughing and jokes being made, "You know, you're with a great company."
How could you say something like this to me? I mean my company has a reputation that is fantastic in the area, but our project has already been delayed because of permits. We have not even broken ground on a project that will take years to complete, and yet you are telling me I am working for a great company.
That is how I knew your words had great value behind them.
So thank you, thank you for picking my company to work with and thank you for reassuring me that I work for such a great company. I am excited to work on your project and help be a part of the amazing work you are doing for your community.
