On Tuesday, my high school student intern arrived. Uncertain about what to expect, I was impressed right from the start. He was on time, dressed professionally- dress pants, shirt and tie, and had his cooler in hand in preparation for our nine hours together. Since this was our first meeting, I thought we might begin by introducing ourselves. Immediately we found connections: love of the beach, sun, and blue skies; both grew up in resort locations, only children, and pet owners. Among his list of potential colleges was my undergraduate alma mater. Now I began to look at him as a potential freshman on my college campus. Then in my true outcomes fashion, the conversation turned to focusing on the desired outcomes of the internship. After reviewing my outcomes for him (understanding the benefits of being in business, roles and responsibilities of a business owner and understanding my company's mission, structure, clients, services and products), he added two: gaining a better understanding of the working world and some help in deciding his major. I liked that he had given thought to what he wanted from the experience. He was prepared and we were off to a great start.
Over our next twenty-three hours together, my student intern eagerly completed assignments, asked pertinent questions, provided meaningful feedback about OMG's products, thoughtfully engaged in conversations with my business partner and colleague, and showed me how to be more savvy when tweeting. His favorable impression on my business partner opened the door to a summer job opportunity. And I was on the phone with the Assistant Admissions Director trying to see how we could get him admitted to my alma mater.
As the experience came to a close, I asked him to make three video messages- one about the internship experience, one about the impact of the experience on his college decision, and one about the company's B.E.S.T. model. Through his video messages, it was apparent that he had a better understanding of the working world, knew that he was interested in business, had identified courses that he wanted to take when he got to college, and recognized that relationships are important if you want to be successful.
Just before leaving, he expressed his gratitude for the experience and then asked if I could make it to his graduation. While our desired outcomes had been realized, a new bond had been formed and on Sunday I look forward to being at his graduation, cheering him on and feeling a sense of pride in knowing that he will go forth and continue to "be his B.E.S.T."
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