My Internship Reflection: DeepSales

 

Impact

When I joined DeepSales, I was not quite sure what to expect. It was my first time working in a corporate office, and definitely my first time working in South Korea. At first, I lacked direction in what I wanted to accomplish, all I knew coming into this internship was that I wanted to make an impact. I wanted to use my time well and adapt my working style to a new environment while doing something productive for the success of the company. Early on, I was introduced to a company-wide targets of expanding into English speaking markets and the Korean Cosmetics Industry which set the tone for my time here. My initial work revolved around English and the improvement of the company's English outreach. I assisted in improving the company's English image not only creating a guide to improve the website, but also writing the English newsletters for months to come in order to improve the company's external image with its clients. Interspersed within this English work was Korean Cosmetics. The Korean Cosmetics industry is infamously expanding, and I turned my attention to researching the industry and the supply chain from research and development to ingredient sourcing to retail, finding entry points and viable information for DeepSales to use in their future communications with the industry. As a result, I find myself reflecting on my goals and the achievements I have reached during my time with DeepSales. I have made the impact I sought to create by providing the company with information on the expanding Korean Cosmetics Industry to act upon, and now have a thorough understanding of what it is like to work in a Korean work environment.

​

Career Goals

In terms of my career goals, I have found a facet of potential future that I did not anticipate. I knew I wanted to work in corporate law, but through my time here, I have come to further appreciate and enjoy the Korean Cosmetics and Skincare industry. I was previously familiar with it due to my own personal experiences with the industry and its products, but it was not until now that I had considered a career that would include this industry. I have become more curious and invested in the industry through my research, and I now know that I would be thrilled to work in the cosmetics field as my career progresses. In terms of the sales industry, the work may become more automated in the future, but there will never be a substitute for face-to-face interaction and the genuine connection that comes with the profession. I have a new appreciation for outreach work and while I know the sales department is not my forte, I am glad I was able to rule out this option while discovering another passion in the cosmetics industry for me to explore in my career.

​

Future

To anyone looking to work an internship like mine, I would remind you to treat every moment like a treasure and a valuable lesson - whether that be on or off the clock. The time you spend here on the internship is fleeting and it disappears in a flash. There is so much I am grateful for in this experience and the people I met both in ​work and in my cohort have forever changed my life. My best advice is to document everything. I do not just mean that in the traditional sense of writing down all of your communications and work for record keeping, but in terms of making memories. Take pictures, write down notes - remember and cherish every passing minute because it is something that you can take with you for the rest of your life. The skills and cultural dynamics are important, but just as valuable are the smiles, laughs, and emotional roller coasters that you will experience here as well. After the internship, take the patience into your heart and the working drive into your next endeavor. Use the internship and all it has taught you as a springboard onto your next big thing, taking the momentum to give you motivation to keep moving forward. Regardless of what opportunities lie ahead, you can always build off of the past experiences you've had.

​

​

Challenges and Overall Experience

​

My expectations for my internship were uncertain. I was not sure what my work would entail or if I would properly adjust to the Korean working environment. I expected to work a lot and have a lot of structure and direction in my time here, but my actual experience was quite different. While there was some structure in my time here, I was given a lot more freedom to explore and develop the areas of myself that I found most in need of support and growth. I was able to research topics that interested me while still supporting the larger company goals and that was something I did not anticipate due to the short duration of my internship. I was given drastically more flexibility in my work and working environment that I expected and that helped in making the experience all the more rewarding. If I could do this again, I would make sure to adapt my technology and work style to suit the environment much quicker. Buying true charging blocks instead of adapters, developing a better understanding of the company's applications, and being more proactive in creating work that is meaningful are all incredibly important and things that I took longer to implement than desired. My time at DeepSales and in South Korea has been inspiring and meaningful in more ways than I can describe and for that, I will forever cherish my experiences.

​