SeungHee joined the marketing team in May as the first co-op student the team has ever had. She was in charge of all our social media channels and developed countless pieces of content over the course of four months. We chatted about what she has learned, what skills she will take with her when she returns to school in September and what advice she has for any future co-op students.
What was the most rewarding thing about working with the Cliniconex team this summer? What about the marketing team?
It’s that I have a secure set of tools with me now that I feel very confident in leveraging in other experiences – both professional and personal. I’ve gained experiences that students who are not in a co-op program wouldn’t have. All the hands-on learning is something I am grateful for and value.
When I see my finished work go live, and people let me know they appreciate the work I do and that it looks good, then I know that I am improving. The acknowledgment has given me the confidence to know that my skills are improving and will be useful after I leave.
What was the biggest challenge you faced this summer?
My biggest challenge was adjusting from a very independent student life to a place where I am working cooperatively with others. Working in a hybrid environment was also an adjustment as I haven’t done that since high school where there was a lot more hand-holding from teachers. This was a bigger transition for me.
Tell us about any new skills, techniques, or knowledge you gained this summer.
Knowledge-wise, I was able to connect the dots between the different courses I took in school and understand why each one is relevant to creating one final output as a company and how all those roles fit together. I didn’t understand why I had to take accounting courses when I’m not a finance major, now I’m seeing everything come together. I find that motivating for when I go back to school and to really dive back into classes.
Other collaborative tools like Trello, or even Google Calendar help me to work collaboratively with others and things I will be taking with me.
What are you most proud of accomplishing during your co-op term?
I looked back at the first video I created for social media, and then I looked at our big launch video and I saw a big improvement in my ability to create digital content. I didn’t notice it gradually, but with a side-by-side comparison, it was a big eye-opening gap and a visual sign of my accomplishments.
Being able to work in a professional setting itself is rewarding and I feel like I’ve accomplished something new.
What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned this summer?
That everything is a team effort. There is not a single thing that gets accomplished without the team. Even though you may spend the day working alone, in the end, everything comes together like a puzzle and everyone’s effort is a piece. If one person doesn’t carry their weight the balance can be off and really affect others.
What words of wisdom or advice would you give to a student considering a co-op term with Cliniconex?
Everyone is very helpful, friendly and resourceful. Unlike a part-time job or internship, everyone is here to prepare you for what comes next in your career journey and that is encouraging. There are lots of ways to ask for help and grow, so definitely something to take advantage of.
Taking part in meetings, even if I don’t have a lot of input to give – has given me a lot of insight into how Cliniconex and companies overall work. So that was very eye-opening and informative.
For the marketing team specifically, I like the chats we have in the mornings – it was very welcoming.
What was the (non-work-related) highlight of your summer?
I’ve been driving on the highway a lot more which I haven’t done until now. I actually drove a few friends for a camping trip. I’m hoping to pass my final driver’s test in the next few weeks. It’s something I’ve progressively improved upon and it’s exciting to know I can soon go on longer road trips.