Summer is a busy time for HES students to complete internships. This series will spotlight students and their intern experiences
Name: Cassandra Trent
Major: Merchandising, Apparel and Textiles
Internship Location: Nordstrom, Ross Park Mall (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
What is your typical day as an intern? Depending on the day of the week, I will either head straight to the sales floor to start selling or I will head into a classroom in Human Resources for a learning day. Going to the floor, I check my results from the previous day to see my numbers and where I ranked in the company for sales. Then, I proceed to my department (accessories) where I help customers until it’s time to head home. On classroom days, we are shown a different job of one of the many people that make the store run. All twelve interns have the opportunity to ask questions and learn as much as we can.
How are you applying classroom knowledge in your internship? My retail math class has been the most helpful, so I am very glad it was still fresh in my mind from last semester. When helping my manager, I deal with a lot of numbers.
What is one key thing you have learned during your internship? Coming from a background of having no retail experience, I have learned that customer service is the biggest key. If you treat your customers like kings and queens, they can sense that. Having personal relationships with customers is what keeps them coming back.
What advice would you share with other students who are preparing to complete an internship? Be prepared to work hard. Having the title of intern is sometimes hard to break out of. I have been very lucky to meet many wonderful people whom I adore, but others in my department specifically look at me like I am stepping on their toes.