The past few months I had the pleasure of being an Intern at HPN Global and work with several teams within the company. Before I begin reflecting on my experience, I want to share that I was the first intern HPN has ever taken on. HPN and I both took a leap of faith with this internship. My first day at HPN was in December and I was nervous about joining an office with forty people. I did not know what to expect. Are people going to introduce themselves to me? Do people know who I am? Am I ready to work full-time for a company I was recently introduced to?
Although all these thoughts ran through my head, my first day went great! I was introduced to everyone that I would be working with, with a welcoming, “Hello” and “Can’t wait for you to be a part of our team”. For the first few weeks of my internship I worked as the Office Administrator, where I greeted everyone as they walked through the door. I also sent and delivered mail for the office, and helped with any tasks that need to be completed. Starting off as the Office Administrator I thought my degree was not being used to its fullest potential. But I quickly realized first impressions mean everything in the hospitality industry and that everyone needs to start somewhere.
After returning from Christmas break, I was given the opportunity to be a part of the Meeting Services team. I participated in weekly meetings where past and future programs were discussed. This department is constantly on the move and busy. Because of that, some of the tasks given to me were challenging. However, I learned quickly that I had to be assertive and make myself available on daily basis for the team. I was given the responsibility of creating the monthly Meeting Services Newsletter, designing several proposal templates, and updating the database.
Towards the end of my internship, I joined the Sourcing Team. Being a part of this team, I saw everything from the Associate’s Request for Proposal, hotel selection, to the client’s final decision. Taking a role in this department was not only challenging but required me to step out of my comfort zone. I was given the responsibility to call associates and hotels, which, at first, was extremely intimidating to me. However, through practice and great training by the Sourcing Team, I gained the confidence to make the difficult calls and make sure deadlines were met. As training came to an end, I was asked to look over RFP’s, select appropriate hotels, follow up with hotels, and notify the associate once all hotels returned the bid.
In addition to helping with the Site Selection process, I was given the opportunity to visit several hotels throughout the Phoenix Area. This allowed me to see how each Hotel Brand and Property differ, as well as, the different parts of the Hospitality Industry.
HPN welcomed me with open arms and I truly felt a part of the team when I was with them. From weekly meetings to visiting hotels and social gatherings after work, I learned that HPN is all about “Family First” and that “Relationships Matter”. My role with the Sourcing Team, and more importantly, taking my Internship with HPN has allowed me to gain confidence. I am forever grateful for the experience. Moving forward, I will not be afraid to introduce myself to an unfamiliar face, take on new and challenging tasks, be assertive and asks for more. I truly love the Hospitality Industry.
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