In our latest company interview, we sat down with Poppy Hawkins, intern for the summer of 2022, to find out more about her experience with Minerva.
How would you describe your internship experience with Minerva?
Poppy: I so enjoyed my virtual internship at Minerva because I was able to experience all sides of the business, including marketing, writing articles, budgeting and seeing how events are organised. This was possible because the team is small and I could see how everyone was completing their own tasks. It was also really social; such a lovely group of people.
What was your role and responsibilities as a Minerva intern?
Poppy: I was mostly focused on writing articles about the business and informative passages for the website. This was especially interesting as I had creative input and could take the articles in a direction which I thought was right for the business and interested me! One of these articles was about the etymology of the word concierge and why it is dehumanising. I did lots of research and found it very enlightening – I was tied to my desk by my own volition!
I also updated the company’s terms of engagement, which was such a helpful experience for learning that written documents are needed to define a business. Understanding the bones of corporate guidelines and policies is a fabulous way of familiarising yourself with how businesses operate.
What were the highlights of your internship?
Poppy: We had lunch all together on Zoom, which was a lovely opportunity to chat with everyone and check in. I loved those moments of connection with everyone at the office, and it was fantastic to feel like we had built such a community, even though I was only helping out for five weeks. Seeing words that I’d written go up onto the website was also super satisfying, because I could see the impact that I was having. I felt encouraged and inspired!
What did you find the most challenging and how did you overcome it?
Poppy: I realised my biggest professional flaw, which is struggling with taking criticism well. This was absolutely crucial, and being aware of this, and learning to overcome it, has and will continue to transform my future prospects. It was wonderful to realise this about myself in such a supportive space. Even though I found it challenging to come face to face with my ego, I have found that it has had lasting positive consequences not only for my professional life but also in my relationships with people around me.
How do you think this internship has helped you to go further in your career?
Poppy: I understand a lot more about business etiquette now, and what it looks like to work professionally with others. I am a very extroverted person so it was hard sometimes for me not to be chatty, but I learned the right time to ask questions as opposed to trusting my intuition. It was also fascinating to hear about the careers of my colleagues, and I have learned a lot from asking them about advice they would give to themselves as young professionals.
Given the nature of the work of Minerva, I learned a lot more about etiquette in everyday life and at different types of events. This has equipped me to begin my corporate journey with the best etiquette toolkit possible.
Would you recommend this internship to other students?
Poppy: Absolutely! It was fun yet challenging, and it felt wonderful logging on and knowing that every day had a purpose. There were frequent check-in meetings and I felt that I was able to ask if I needed help.
From what I could see on Zoom, it is also a lovely office with lots of natural light; you can see the rain pouring onto the palm trees and splattering onto the pavement, and I had a fantastic view of the sunset. It was so cold for me in the UK, but for those in the office the days were sun drenched. I’ve heard that the coffee from the machine was delicious and already made when everyone arrives, and, even better, the only beachfront Burger King in the world is on Minerva’s doorstep! I heard about how much everyone enjoyed it on Friday lunchtimes.
I could not recommend this internship more, and I feel incredibly grateful to have been given this opportunity.
