Last Friday, I handed in the last blog for Adaface. I definitely had/ still have mixed emotions about it. I am sad that I will no longer be working with the team - especially Keerthi, but am grateful that I had the opportunity to experience working for Adaface virtually and gaining a better understanding of content creation and comms in action.
I am not completely done as I still have to finish up the last of career bridge - the Virtual Internship course work and write the paper's assignments. However, the real heavy part of my VI Experience is over.
In this blog, I will reflect on my experience by sharing 3 stand out factors about my VI Experience.
Firstly, the connections you build with colleagues.
During the internship, you become close to colleagues. As you learn more about the
communication style that each colleague has, cross-cultural communication
differences, and how to juggle working with timezones, these relationships naturally
strengthen.
While I mainly worked one-on-one, Adaface is based out of India, and India is seven
and a half hours behind New Zealand, I think that I have managed to build
connections with my colleagues that will last.
I think that this is especially true for my supervisor, who I worked one-on-one with, as
we became particularly close.
Being a really extroverted person, I think that putting in the effort to develop
relationships have made the experience easier.
Secondly, the self-understanding you take away.
At the beginning of the internship, I had quite a few set ideas about what I wanted to
do career-wise and what I enjoyed work-wise. I think that by doing this internship I
have become less rigid in my plans, realised the parts of communications that
I enjoy and those that I don't, and realised the real value of face-to-face
communication.
I think that this experience has made me more reflective, aware, and mature about
where I am and where I want to go.
Thirdly, the global network you build.
This was tricky, but we got there in the end. I think that doing this internship you need
to be prepared to put yourself out there but once you do the network you build is
really amazing.
I now have connections from Dubai, the U.S., Italy, India, and Singapore, to name a
few. Not only is this incredibly valuable as I want to work internationally, but getting
to know different people has allowed me to learn about different experiences and
perspectives.
Overall, while there have been challenges along the way, they have helped me learn and have made me more adaptable. This internship experience has led to many opportunities and friendships, and I am confident going forth that it will continue to be of benefit.
I would highly recommend that other students choose the Virtual Internship Program.