By Benjamin Goldberg
Stepping into an internship that I knew almost nothing about, I took it upon myself to become acclimated with the environment and learn the essentials of becoming a professional Account Executive. At first, it felt as if the stress never ended and the feeling of being uncomfortable in a new setting kept growing. As cliche as it sounds, I was able to slow time down, gather all of my thoughts and emotions, and put everything that I was taught to the test.
Here are three things I learned from TGC:
Time Management
Heading into my second semester of junior year, soon after being awarded dean’s list for the year prior, I thought I understood everything that needed to be done in order to stay on task. TGC quickly made me realize that the tools under my belt needed some improvement. Weekly tasks including team and client agendas, slide decks, timesheets, reports, and team member evaluations are just the base of what needs to be completed. As an Account Executive, you take on the role of the middleman between your team and your client, which also means constant communication, delegation of tasks, and running professional meetings. To stay on top of all of this, TGC has taught me to prioritize tasks based on timeliness and importance to the client. Once I began to prioritize my assignments and tasks as such, the light at the end of the tunnel began to shine brighter. The work I was producing was more thorough and to the best of my ability, making for a more confident self and client.
Etiquette
Being from sunny Southern California, I never dressed in anything but shorts and a t-shirt, unless for special occasions. Even in my first couple years of college, with GE classes and online school taking up most of my time during the pandemic, there wasn’t a need to dress up. TGC has helped me realize that dressing for success actually helps one feel more confident, present, and attentive. Not only does it allow me to feel this way, but it also allows for the quality and presentation of my work to be more effective and professional.
Teamwork
Without my team(s), there is no telling where I would be at this point in the semester. As an Account Executive, the sense of feeling that everything you touch is your responsibility creeps up on you quite often. Stress and anxiety levels run high, resulting in a poor quality of work. It is important to remember that your team members are there to help you relieve that feeling. TGC has implemented the standard of “don’t be afraid to ask for help.” Getting help is nothing to be ashamed of, but something to be proud of. It shows that you care about what you do, that you want to get better at it, and in the end, be able to help someone else who was in your shoes at one point.
As my time at TGC comes to an end, I take it upon myself to reflect on the experiences I had and the lessons I have learned. Not only will these lessons serve me throughout the rest of my college career at Chico State University, but also travel with me throughout my career post-grad . Everyone has to start somewhere, and to be frank, TGC was the best place to start.