The Internship Experience – Ariana Taylor, MBA Candidate 2015

Ariana M. Taylor                    

Full-time MBA Candidate 2015

Concentration(s):  Marketing and Finance

Field of work: Management

Undergraduate Degree: English Studies

Undergraduate School: Illinois State University

Career Goal: Buyer at Target & Entrepreneur

How did you find your internship?

I found out about my internship through many of my colleagues that completed the executive internship last year. They explained that they loved the leadership and responsibility that Target offered, so I further researched opportunities at the company. After browsing their website, I applied for the executive internship position, endured two interviews, and was notified that I received the position.

Did you receive any help from the Business Career Center in finding your internship?

The Business Career Center has been helpful during my time at UIC as a whole. Jeff Wilson encouraged me to stay on top of job searches and hosted informational interviews with people who work for employers that I’m interested in.

What factor(s) did you consider when choosing to accept your internship offer?

I highly considered the duties of the executive intern because I really wanted to learn and gain experience driving sales and working with important departments of a flourishing company. I also considered the pay of the internship simply because who doesn’t love money?

What were your responsibilities at your internship?

At the internship, I was responsible for driving sales and motivating the team to achieve and exceed sales goals. I also managed the guest service and merchandising of departments with sales ranging from $2- $9 million. Lastly, I acted as Leader On Duty, by responding to guests, team member concerns, and opening and closing the store.

What did you like most about your internship?

I loved the way Target trusts their new employees, or interns in my case, to lead their team. Target allows its employees to be innovative and create new ideas to drive sales and vibe with their guests. I loved meeting new team members and learning about their personal lives and experiences with Target.

What was the most valuable lesson you’ve learned at your internship, thus far?

The most valuable lesson that I learned is that you can’t manage everyone the same and that everyone leads differently. To add, I learned that every department is equally important to the store’s success.

Did you have a mentor at your internship? If you did, what was the most valuable piece of advice you received?

I did have a mentor at my internship and she is actually a UIC alumnus. The most valuable piece of advice that she gave me was that I won’t know the question to every answer, but the best thing I can do is just jump in and learn from my mistakes.