Originally, I had requested that I be placed at a company within the real estate environment. However, my placement landed me at a company within the tech industry called, Homer. Homer is an all in one app for all your home management needs, utilizing artificial intelligence to streamline the many complexities that come with owning a home. Despite being in the tech industry, I am currently filling a marketing role for them.
Due to the small size of the company, myself and one other intern make up the marketing department, so there we have pretty much been given free rein as far as our work and projects go. Because of this freedom, it is very important for me to not only show initiative, but also remain focused on my tasks at hand. There is really no preexisting foundation for for their marketing, so we are trying to build it from the ground up. Despite having a great deal of freedom to play with different strategies, it is very important for me to be in constant communication with the head of the company, as we are essentially setting the precedent for the company’s future marketing.
Because of the lack of dedicated tasks being given to me, and the self structured nature of my role, it is hard to stay on task sometimes. With that said, it will be very important for me to efficiently manage my time and stay on the right track as far as working towards a less tangible objective goes. Keeping in mind that this is an on going process opposed to completing as many tasks as I can is crucial. During my first week, it was easy to fall into a headspace where my efforts seemed unimportant but reminding myself that this is a two month effort, and that I am trying to provide longer term value for the company has helped me a lot.
Communication is huge. I have found that the more direct the better. In the United States, we often use filler words or unnecessary language, especially in a professional setting. Here in Sweden, people communicate rather directly and redact any extra information in the professional setting. I am trying to adopt this way of communicating, but it is a bit tricky as I always find myself adding unnecessary words that would be considered professionally appropriate in the United States.
Overall, learning to work independently from others in the workplace is going to play a huge role in my time here. It is easy to feel lonely in a large office and that you are being annexed in a sense. However, this couldn’t be further from the case.
