This summer we welcomed three interns, Natasha, Neale and Sebastian, from the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria, Canada. During their three month internship here at Apex, their core duties were project support and analyzing and standardizing data. Additionally, they were able to work in different areas of Apex that interested each of them.
In addition to project support and data management, Neale and Sebastian supported the teams through different parts of the recruitment process. This allowed them to enhance their sales skills and learn the fundamentals of recruiting. For Natasha, she supported the marketing team through social media management and content marketing. Through this, she learned how to successfully market the company on multiple online media platforms as well as learn the basics of marketing in the recruitment sector.
For a closer look into their time at Apex, we asked them about their internship experience.
Why did you decide to take an internship at Apex?
NEALE
"I chose to take an internship at Apex because I had an aspiration to explore an international work environment in order to develop cross-cultural business competencies and knew that working abroad would allow me to learn more than I ever could in a classroom."
SEBASTIAN
"The experience of working in Japan along with the chance to develop essential basic sales skills made Apex the perfect choice for me."
What was the highlight of your internship at Apex?
NATASHA
"I appreciated having the opportunity to work on extra projects that interest me, and it has lead me to figure out what I would like to focus on in my next internship. Above all though I have loved working with people from all over the world, and to have had the chance to learn from so many intelligent co-workers."
NEALE
"The highlight of my internship at Apex was the fact that I got to work closely with our Managing Director in the recruitment process. Apex offers exceptional opportunities to experience recruiting practices in an international environment."
SEBASTIAN
"Getting to be so involved in the recruiting process made me feel like I was a trusted and integral part of the team."
What is your main takeaway from your time here?
NATASHA
"I loved seeing how an alumnus from my university was able to establish Apex with only 5 people and has now grown the company to be a thriving organization with almost 60 employees. As I am specializing in the Entrepreneurship program at the University of Victoria, learning some of the ins and outs of running a small/medium size business was fascinating for me."
NEALE
"The skills I have learned will be carried with me for the rest of my life. Additionally, I now have a more in-depth understanding of relationship management within the recruitment profession."
Two of the interns, Neale and Natasha, enjoy getting to know their new co-workers - including a couple of University of Victoria alumni!
What was the most challenging aspect of this internship?
NATASHA
"The most difficult part of the internship for me wasn’t necessarily to do with Apex itself, it was more to do with moving across the world and trying to adjust to a new culture quickly. Despite this being one of the more challenging aspects of the internship, it was also one of the most rewarding and I am thankful that I got to experience Japanese culture for even a short time."
SEBASTIAN
"For me, developing the necessary skills to handle the workload and effectively deal with tasks and information that were coming at me really quickly."
What will you miss most about Japan?
NATASHA
"The people that I’ve met here! I was delighted by how nice and welcoming the Apex office is. Even as an intern, I never felt like an outsider in the office, which was really nice, and a large part of that was thanks to the awesome team that I was a part of and my other great co-workers."
NEALE
"Tokyo is an outstanding place to do an internship and is full of new experiences. The things I will miss the most about Japan is the food, the city sights, and the people I have become friends with both inside and outside of Apex."
SEBASTIAN
"Ramen, obviously."
What is your advice for future intern here at Apex?
NATASHA
"Be willing to take any project given to you. Whether the task is data entry, filing paperwork, or supporting the teams in the recruitment process, there is something to learn from every task and your hard work will not go unnoticed!"
NEALE
"My advice for future interns is to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Whether that means singing karaoke in front of the whole company, making sales calls for the first time, or building new connections, you gain more valuable experience by engaging with your surroundings. Be comfortable with being uncomfortable - it's the best way to grow!"
SEBASTIAN
"Apex will see ambition and reward it with responsibility. The more you can be effective at what you're doing, the more involved you'll be. Give it your all!"
The interns enjoy Apex’s annual Yakatabune Party
Natasha, Neale and Sebastian are all about to go into their fourth year at the University of Victoria, and we wish them best of luck in their future endeavors!
