This post was written by Megan D., Corporate Communications Intern at Reynolds' Dayton Headquarters.
I was nervous about starting college. I wasn’t sure what I wanted from the experience or what to expect. Even the idea of walking into a full lecture hall made my stomach flip upside down with nerves.
But early in my college career, my advisor told me to “always say yes” to every experience that was presented to me.
What she said stuck. Despite my anxiety, I filled my schedule as much as possible with student organizations, a campus job, freelance writing, outings with friends, and more. I didn’t have time to even think when I was constantly running around campus.
With “saying yes” to everything in mind, I joined multiple student organizations – a sorority, Public Relations Student Society of America, The Post (our student-run publication), and a professional communications and marketing fraternity – forcing me out of my comfort zone and into environments I was unfamiliar with. Discomfort aside, this awkward phase of life turned into countless learning experiences I would never give back.
So, it never crossed my mind how all these experiences could prepare me for the corporate world. I didn’t know it then, but stepping out of my comfort zone and not turning down any opportunities set me up for success before walking through the door of Reynolds on my first day of my internship.
Being a member of many organizations helped me learn the art of time management. This skill helped me greatly with adjusting to corporate life, with many tasks and responsibilities to balance at once.
I also gained a sense of what leadership looks like. From observing my peers in leadership positions to leading others myself, I walked into my internship ready to take initiative with my projects, networking opportunities, and various other assignments.
Another crucial skill I’ve learned is networking and connecting with others. Being in a sorority and a professional fraternity, I’ve gone through recruitment processes on both sides: as the nervous “recruitee” and the active recruiter. These experiences have taught me so much about working with and relating to different types of people. There isn’t a lot that intimidates me anymore after talking to hundreds of potential new members during recruitment season!
Lastly, I was hesitant about pursuing a writing career. I didn’t know if I was qualified for the positions I was applying for. But I picked up freelancing and a campus writing job anyway, and they prepared me more than I could have imagined for the technical side of my internship.
As a feature writer for WGI (Winter Guard International) and Ohio University’s Student News Bureau, I gained the training I needed to have a good baseline before entering the field in a corporate setting. From learning how to write copy and conduct interviews to building websites and editing, these experiences gave me a head start in succeeding with my projects.
I still haven’t let go of saying yes. Here at Reynolds, I prioritize pursuing other projects outside of my official role and emphasize learning something every single day. Being a sponge for information at a new company is incredibly helpful when adjusting to a new role in an unfamiliar industry.
I believe that an essential part of being successful as a young professional is curating many unique experiences for yourself. By "saying yes,” I learned new skills and had experiences that brought me to where I am sitting today writing this blog post.
Passing on the advice I was given: go to that club meeting, talk to that recruiter, and push the boundaries of what you’re used to. Say “Yes!”
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