Read Egan expanded his role Funded LLC to develop skills in database management and sales.
How did you get your internship?
I have done seasonal work at Funded LLC since I was in high school, first during the off seasons from when I played football. My dad is the CEO and gradually started training me in different avenues of the company, starting with straightforward tasks like book keeping and database organization. He slowly began to train me in all positions of the company, and when Covid hit in 2020 I started working for Funded full-time.
That’s why my internship situation is unique: I have worked at my firm throughout the entirety of my college career. I started at an entry-level position before the pandemic and have fast-tracked myself to a position in upper management. This really influenced my decision to use my internship requirement as an opportunity to continue working here throughout the summer and extend my responsibilities further by joining the hiring team.
What new skills did you practice or enhance during this internship?
I improved my organizational skills, particularly working with our Microsoft Excel database of sales leads. Secondly, I got over my stage fright when talking on the phone and learned the art of cold calling. What was really crucial for me overcoming those nerves was understanding the worst that can happen on these cold calls is the prospective customer can say “no”, which is bound to happen from time to time. However, the best case scenario would be landing the client which, in turn, reaps more benefits and allows me to make a commission.
What was your favorite part of your internship?
My favorite part of my internship this year would be getting to have open communication with my site supervisor. My situation is unique because my father is my site supervisor and our working relationship requires that he provide feedback. He was there to let me know when I was improving on something, like my organization skills, but he was also there to tell me when I needed to improve on something. Since I received that constructive feedback just like anyone else would, I finally felt like a normal employee instead of his son. In addition to that, my favorite part was going from having a fear of doing cold calls before this summer to now being incredibly comfortable with talking to new people on the phone.
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?
After working here for many years, I am now confident enough in my skills to start exploring my options potentially out-of-state to work at a sales position. I have been talking with some recruiters that represent AT&T and there is potential for me to move out to Dallas for work. Dallas is the AT&T headquarters for the entirety of the brand and I have a personal interest in exploring this option because most of my relatives have spent time working for AT&T as executives.
What advice do you have for other students as they search for and begin their internship?
My biggest advice for students getting ready to start their internship or their search is simple: don't be afraid to put yourself out there. And what I mean by this is to not sell yourself short. In the PAH 383 Pre-Internship: Building Career Readiness class, Brittney Crawford and Stephanie Stephanie reassure us that it's okay to apply for positions even if you don't fully meet all the listed position requirements. My second piece of advice would be staying vigilant. It can be very easy to get discouraged when looking for jobs, but if you don't give up things will work themselves out. Finally, I can't stress this enough, organization is so crucial to being successful in any job. It shows that you are a professional in your field and is generally appreciated by all site managers.