Three months ago, I stepped foot into the T2 Tech Group office to join their growing team of talented individuals. I felt nervous, but excited, knowing that they provide services to some of the most respected healthcare organizations in the nation. Looking back on my time spent supporting the business development team, my internship with T2 Tech exceeded my expectations. Over these months, I experienced many “firsts” of my business career; I joined the world of information technology and healthcare, attended my first conference, spent time customer-facing and contributed to a variety of projects while learning about their innovative and successful project management methodology. These opportunities have helped shape my business career while teaching me many lessons along the way. Here are the top five lessons I learned from my summer internship at T2 Tech:
1. Think of the office as a giant classroom
When working with a company that has multiple departments, it’s important to spend time with each one to gain knowledge and insights about the business. An internship is a big learning experience and it’s crucial to use this opportunity to ask questions. My co-workers have been happy to get me up-to-speed on certain topics and processes used in our company that I was unfamiliar with before. Overall, I have gained new skills, tools and knowledge needed to begin my professional career.
2. Experiencing a corporate environment is great preparation for your future career
Spending 40 hours a week in an office space required a schedule adjustment. But, there’s no better way to learn than through hands-on experience. I have assisted the business development team with Request for Proposal (RFP) responses, Statement of Works (SOWs), social media content, website support, and preparing marketing collateral and presentations. This internship is a unique opportunity where I have been able to see my work have a direct impact on T2 Tech’s operations. In addition, working in an office environment helps instill a sense of professionalism that is necessary to compete in the business world. Sitting-in on important presentations, calls and meetings allowed me to learn about office etiquette and observe how professionals interact with one another.
3. Take the time to read up about the industry you’re working in
Coming from someone who had little experience in IT and healthcare, this was crucial throughout my internship. During the first week, my co-workers recommended that I sign-up for daily newsletters from relevant organizations to keep me informed about industry information. Newsletters from HIMSS and HubSpot provided updates on the ever-changing topics within healthcare IT and marketing. Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn and Twitter, allowed me to catch-up on trending news within the industry. Because of this, I have learned the lingo and basic knowledge required to work in the healthcare IT industry.
4. Be sure to grow your professional network
I have been able to grow my professional network through interactions with co-workers and attending corporate events. Luckily, I worked on a project throughout my internship that required me to spend time with every employee. I valued my meetings with each individual because I believe that it is important to understand their roles in the company. Also, corporate events were a great way to expand my professional network. While attending the SoCal HIMSS 10th Annual Clinical Informatics Summit, I networked with attendees and heard informative presentations from CEOs, professors, doctors and nurses who I have been able to connect with through LinkedIn.
5. The people you work with are just as important as the work you do
The average professional spends 1/3 of their life at work, so I believe it’s important to work for an organization that values their employees and offers many benefits beyond insurance. For example, company culture is a strength at T2 Tech. Fridays are our busiest days; We have most of our staff in the office for internal meetings, a yoga session is offered to de-stress from the work week, lunch is provided for everyone and a synopsis of current business and client updates is presented. From having a kitchen fully-stocked with snacks to hosting fun events outside of the office, T2 Tech puts its employees at the center of the company and ensures you will enjoy the time spent in the office.
As I head back to college for my final year, I look forward to applying my expanded knowledge of sales and marketing to my coursework. For more information on how to become a part of this team of experienced technologists and business professionals, visit the careers page.