Emily Ramirez completed Enterprises Rent-A-Car’s Management Internship Program, gaining skills in business operations, innovation, and colleagueship.
How did you get your internship?
Honestly, I didn’t think I was going to get this internship because it was for a big company. Not only that, I knew it was going to be very competitive, so that made my self-doubt skyrocket. I had to go through a two-part interview. The first part was over Zoom with the Talent Acquisition Coordinator, and if you move forward, you move on to an in-person interview where you shadow at the branch. I was very nervous, but Stephanie Springer and Brittney Crawford on the Applied Humanities Internship Team went over interview prep with me, which helped me practice and feel so much more confident.
How did you grow during your internship?
One of the challenges I experienced during my internship at Enterprise was trying to learn the back- end processes for things such as payments and collaborating with dealerships and insurance companies. There are so many things that go into it, with so many numbers and data, that I felt nervous that I might do something wrong. I did make some mistakes, but I know that’s part of the internship experience and the important thing is to learn from those mistakes. I had to remind myself that it takes time to learn, and as long as I put in that effort I will get to where I need to be.
What was your favorite part of your internship?
My favorite part of my internship was traveling to Chandler for various development and training days. The highlight of every trip we had in Chandler was getting to bond with all the other interns. We stayed in a hotel for three days and had most of the late afternoons and evenings to ourselves. We spent time going to dinner, hanging out at the pool, and playing games all night. We all began as just random strangers from different universities in Arizona, and now some of us are really close friends and colleagues, to the point that we talk on a daily basis and have future plans to see each other again.
What is a major project that you worked on during your internship?
All the interns were asked to come up with an idea or change that could be implemented at Enterprise since we have a fresh look at what is going on in and outside of the branch. Towards the end of our internship, we were required to make a presentation describing our project idea. I was really conflicted about what I was going to do for this project, but I decided to pitch a chat box that will cut down our hold times for customers that includes the availability to speak in different languages to serve a larger customer base.
What is the impact of your internship experience?
My internship has been so intense, but it has shown me so much. I was skeptical about going into this internship because I didn’t see the explicit correlation between my major and emphasis to this opportunity. I realized once the experience began that it was more about your willingness to learn, being part of a supportive team, and it has been something I have absolutely enjoyed. The internship has taught me so much, and I have loved it so much that I am continuing to stay with the company to learn about the back-end and how I can develop further from here. It has allowed me to give new things a chance and see what is out there for me. There are so many things that this company has to offer that I want to see where I land in the future.
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?
My internship experience has completely changed my entire plan for after graduation. It has completely changed my perspective, and it has opened a new field of opportunity for me. Before my internship I planned to move to Phoenix after graduation to begin a career in the field of public health. Since my internship, I realized that I really loved being at Enterprise and that it had many opportunities for me, so I chose to be open-minded and change things around. I plan on staying in Tucson, continuing my growth at Enterprise, and seeing where it leads.