Internships are an excellent way to get your foot in the door, get a feel for the industry and organization, gain experience in your field and make lasting connections! The main goal of most students seeking internships, though, is to secure full-time employment with the organization once the internship is over. That’s exactly what this Mercedes-Benz Financial Services intern did.
Remember, Alicia Chea from this Mercedes-Benz Financial Services video? We had the chance to catch up with Alicia to discuss her growth in the company since our initial interview, the support she’s received and why Mercedes-Benz Financial Services is a great place to work. Continue reading to hear her journey from Intern to Full-Time Employee!
Initial Application And New Opportunities
Alicia graduated from Ryerson University’s Business Management program prepared to start her career. With graduation right around the corner, she began her job search and came across the Operations Services Intern position at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and decided to apply. “The application process consisted of a behavioral assessment and a panel interview”, comments Alicia. “It was a friendly and seamless process and everyone was very welcoming!”
Alicia was offered the role and accepted the position. Very shortly after that she saw an opening for a HR & Administration Services Internship. She decided that this was more in line with her interests and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services made it happen. Even though she was only in her initial internship position for three short weeks, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services was very supportive in helping her switch to this new position.
After being in the HR & Administration Services role for over a year and a half, Alicia decided she wanted to learn even more about the business on an operational level and is now an Administrative Assistant to the Office of the President. “Mercedes-Benz Financial Services was supportive in my decision to change my position because it allowed me to not only learn more about the business but to also grow within the company and develop new skills”, she says.
Onboarding Excellence
In her current role, Alicia is responsible for “managing the day-to-day operations of the Office of the President, including expense reporting, calendar coordination, planning and supporting company-wide events and any other ad-hoc requests from the Human Resources or legal department”. She loves that she is always learning something new on the job and making valuable connections in the workplace. Alicia also feels she is strengthening her time management and communication skills since she uses them daily.
She admits the role can be challenging, but she receives continued support from her colleagues and is especially grateful for her onboarding experience. From creating a training schedule to celebrating and announcing her new position with Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, “the team has supported me tremendously in my transition from an intern to a full-time employee”, Alicia comments. “I was able to do training with my predecessor, which brought me up to speed and allowed me to fully understand my responsibilities.”
Feeling Supported Through Workplace Culture
Part of Alicia’s success in her roles so far at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services is the amazing internal culture. “The culture contributes to my professional development because the team is open to listening to any feedback or concerns I may have in my role and it allows me to take training, seminars or workshops to further develop my skills”, she explains. Not only does the company encourage professional development, but they also provide the opportunity for all employees to learn more about the business and the automotive industry as a whole.
Continued learning is always encouraged due to the fast pace of the industry. “There’s a saying here in the office: ‘fail fast, fail often, fail better’, which allows employees to understand that failing at a task is okay, and to take it as a learning experience and chance to improve”, Alicia says. These learning opportunities are meant to allow for long term growth that can be applied to a variety of roles within the organization.
“The company culture at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services is amazing. Everyone is very welcoming and friendly to talk to! We have recently finished our renovations in the office, where there are no more walls and barriers between colleagues, which contributes to an open environment and more collaboration. The people in the company are sort of like a second family and it makes it exciting to come to work every day!”
Mercedes-Benz Financial Services hosts many events in the office that allows the employees to connect with one another beyond daily work tasks. Alicia is proud to be a member of the Social Committee in which she helps to plan events in the office. “Some of the events are cultural events, which I love attending to learn about the different cultures in the office. It makes me feel more connected to my coworkers”, she says.
Takeaways For Students and New Grads
Working as an intern while studying helped Alicia prepare for her career and land her full-time position with Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. “I was able to take my classroom knowledge and apply it on the job; I was also able to take my experience during my internships and apply it during class case studies. It truly helped me gain the experience, network and skills needed to prepare me for my career”, she says.
Alicia has some final advice to students and new grads that are considering applying to an internship with Mercedes-Benz Financial Services:
- “Be open to new opportunities. You may not see a role that is exactly what you want, but it’s what you make out of it.”
- “Utilize Social Media to build a network. If you see a role that you are interested in but would like to know more about it, don’t hesitate to reach out to someone who is in the role and can answer your questions!”
- “Don’t take failure personally and ask for feedback whenever you can. Didn’t get the job the first time around? Don’t beat yourself up about it. Ask for feedback, and improve the next time around!”
With the support, training and workplace culture at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, Alicia was able to successfully transition from an intern to a full-time employee! If you’re inspired by Alicia’s story, take a look at the Internship opportunities on the Mercedes-Benz Financial Services employer profile to learn more!