Charles Aris Spotlight Q&A with recruiting intern Chandler Rouse

Charles Aris senior marketing associate Sydney Olszewski and marketing intern Isabel Hewgley sat down with summer recruiting intern Chandler Rouse to discuss her internship experience. 

What inspired you to pursue an internship experience during your college career?

I decided to pursue an internship because I wanted to get a feel for the type of career I could see myself in post-graduation. It’s nearly impossible to know what you want to spend your career doing if you haven’t given something a try. I knew an internship was the right way for me to work through that process.

What were the top three things you looked for in an organization when applying for internships?

As I went through the vetting process for possible internships, I looked for organizations that had a positive company culture, put a special emphasis on learning and development, and laid out and communicated promotion capabilities clearly.

How do you believe an internship experience will prepare you for the start of your professional career?

By completing an internship in college, you get a taste of how different the professional world is in comparison to your daily life on campus. I’ve gotten used to the “8:00 to 5:00” feel and even in a short time I’ve learned a lot about myself professionally. When I enter the workforce after college, I know that I’ll use the skills I’ve learned in my internship to be successful in a full-time role. As I mentioned before, an internship is a great way to find out what career you want to go into after graduation. I knew I didn’t want to find myself in a situation where I dreaded waking up and going to work each morning and I can honestly say I don’t feel that way now.

What advice would you give a student planning to pursue an internship?

My advice to students pursing an internship is to first take time to sit down and analyze what you want in an organization, what your career interests are and what support you need to be successful. Ask yourself, “What job could I see myself waking up for each morning and finding happiness?” Once you have this nailed down, start researching! Go out and make connections, build your network and talk to your professors – they know a lot of people in their field and are there to help! Even if you have an internship experience you decide doesn’t fit with your career aspirations, that’s okay. Finding what you don’t want for your career is just as important as finding the right fit. Don’t get discouraged!

Tell us how the Charles Aris training process helped when you entered the organization as a recruiting intern.

The onboarding and training process was extremely helpful. I went through the same training full-time recruiters go through, which a lot of organizations don’t do for their interns. Charles Aris gives you all the information you need to be successful and provides hands-on practice while maintaining an open line of communication where it’s okay to ask questions. I could tell every Charles Aris team member involved in the process truly cared about me doing this job the right way. You even get paired with a mentor who is your go-to person for learning all things Charles Aris. What’s impressive is that after the formal onboarding period is over, the learning and development process continues. It’s comforting to know I have the support behind me to do well, especially so early in my career.

What have you enjoyed most about your experience as an intern so far?

Although I’ve only been a recruiting intern at Charles Aris for a short time, what I’ve enjoyed most is the environment we foster. Every member of the team is kind and always makes me feel like I belong. If you need help, you just ask, they’re always willing to sit down and help you with whatever you need assistance with. This is an environment that advocates learning and sees you as an asset to the organization, not just an intern. I’ve already learned so much!

When you were going through the search for potential internships, what drew to you the Charles Aris program?

I was drawn to Charles Aris because I heard great things about the firm’s culture. I had a strong interest in going into the world of sales and was excited about the potential of being part of an organization that would take the time to teach me the skill set needed to be successful. As a recruiter at Charles Aris, you’re not selling a product. You’re helping organizations grow by finding their new CFO, CEO, manager, etc. On the flip side, you’re helping individuals advance their careers. After my first phone interview, I was sold on Charles Aris and knew that’s where I wanted to be.

Interested in the Charles Aris internship program? Email your cover letter and résumé to Charles Aris vice president Brian Styers at brian.styers@charlesaris.com. Internships run year-round.