My internship at eBiz Africa Review provided me with an excellent opportunity to apply my theoretical knowledge into practical use. My supervisor at the course used the democratic form of management to run our department. He always invited all the staff members of our department into consultative meetings before making any decision. During the sessions, every employee received the same amount of time to contribute to the issue under discussion. The management motivated the employee to work harder from seeing the implementation of their ideas. My supervisor believed that every individual possesses unique traits that contribute differently to the success of the organization. Therefore, we worked harder to add to the ideas on topics to feature on the articles. Proper motivation is crucial for the success of the department.
In case of any unprecedented action, we had to consult with the management for the best response in accordance with the business policies. However, some of the decisions delayed due to the absence of the managers at the time of need. For example, we had to wait for the meetings to end for the manager to respond when urgently needed. However, I later realized that some of the situations were not complicated, thus needing no attention of the manager. Some of the cases required critical thinking and innovative actions to correct. Some of the employees working in the business went through similar challenges during their internship to the company. For example, some interviews had inaudible words, which made transcription very hard. In such cases, consultation with the other employees resolved the situation without consulting the manager. Therefore, I would opt to brainstorm with my fellow interns as opposed to the management.
At eBiz, the management promoted socialization among the employees. In rewarding the employees, the administration categorizes their productivity in the form of a group. The primary reason behind the policy is to encourage the employees to work together as a team. During the internship, I realized that interaction with the employees offers a better opportunity for learning as opposed to the supervisor. It is worth noting that the employees encountered the same challenges as the intern during their introduction to the company. The workers in the organization are supportive and do not hesitate to assist the new employees at all times. Besides, they mentored the younger employees to motivate them and improve their productivity. Therefore, the team enjoys a strong unity characterized by ethical interactions that affect productivity positively.
One policy in the company is strict observance of time. The management enforces strict observation of time for all staff members. However, when the employees finish their assigned duties, they are free to remain on the premises or to leave at their pleasure. During the day, all the laborers work on their assigned tasks. For example, my primary duties were a subscription of interviews and composition of articles. During the day, just like my fellow workmates, I spent most of the time researching on topics that would generate a higher interest from the public. Therefore, we ensured that the issues would attract attention many people for a more significant clientele. In other departments, the employees managed the internet connectivity to ensure we stayed online at all times. All the employees spent the day performing their respective duties as assigned by the management.
Transferring and Applying Learning
The internship transformed my mindset from the mentality of a student to that of an employee with the responsibility of fulfilling the needs of the clients. During the classes, my lecturer emphasized the need to address topics conclusively. The tutor always insisted on effective communication through proper grammar and tenses. During the internship, I got a chance of putting the skills learned in class to practical use. At first, I was afraid of making mistakes while writing the articles whose readers possessed a higher academic qualification than I. However, my supervisor mentored me in ways that improved my confidence. He corrected the mistakes I did, and my professionalism improved immensely. Therefore, the communication classes I attended guided me in the right formation of sentences with the proper grammar for effective communication to all the clients.
My interest in communication and media course is likely to assist me in gaining professionalism as a journalist. From the internship, I leaned that a good journalist presents the audience with credible information obtained through extensive research. Therefore, I spent a significant amount of time in the field collecting reliable information that I used in writing the articles. Secondly, the internship gave me the confidence to ask tough questions during the interviews. At first, I was timid and lacked the courage to tackle problems on the issues that appeared controversial. However, my confidence enhanced through practical interaction with the clients, hence improving my expertise. As a journalist, I understand that confidence and skills in conducting research will be instrumental in providing the clients with original and credible information for my ultimate career growth.
The internship advanced my research and communication skills. One of the primary differences between theoretical study and practical application of the information is the hands-on experience gained. In class, we learned the qualities of a good communication platform. However, the internship exposed me to the challenges of actualizing the lessons learned and improving the sills with time. After the placement, I was able to handle research from complicated topics such as global warming and using words that encourage a diverse audience from the population. In journalism, it is right to acknowledge that the academic levels of the audience differ immensely. Therefore, each article must use words that will be understandable by the entire population to avoid discrimination of the community. My improvement in these skills allowed me to communicate in the simple language, especially on complicated topics.
My employer, supervisor, and the other employees are very nice and friendly people. They transformed my abilities by empowering me through knowledge acquisition and practical application of the skills. Therefore, I intend to use the skills in community service for my society during the holidays. In my town, most of the young people lack the motivation to follow their dreams. The youngsters lose interest when they fail in class and hold the perception that their lives will never be successful. Using my communication abilities, I will hold encouraging talks for such persons in society. I will talk to them by addressing their areas of weakness and using my examples to show them how everything is possible. As my employer and supervisor have spent their time in making me confident and enhancing my skills, I believe, I can use the same vigor in transferring the same confidence to the youngsters to give them a brighter future.
