You might debate between internship opportunities. There’s a chance that you’re intimidated to even apply for an internship. You most likely feel scared to start this kind of experience. These are all feelings I felt going through this process, along with many more. Just go for it! Take this opportunity and run, you will grow in many ways.
What to Expect from an Internship at GMS
The first week at GMS is an adjustment in the best way possible. When you walk in the doors, anyone and everyone will say “Good Morning” and “How was your weekend?” You will feel welcomed instantly whether you know these people or not. Training week was a favorite for me! Going through training with all the new sales representatives was very beneficial and helped me learn so much about GMS. There will be a lot of information thrown at you, so be ready to learn with an open mind and, of course, have fun!
Throughout the internship experience, you will want to learn everything about this company. There’s a lot, so take one step at a time. Every individual who works at GMS is passionate about what they do, and it is so motivating to be around! Take the time to learn and make friends in your department, as well as other departments – it will benefit you. Something I wish I would’ve told myself before I started is to not be intimidated by success. There are tons of successful people at GMS and at the beginning that can be intimidating, but I promise they are there to help and guide you.
Every Monday and Friday morning, I attended meetings with the sales department. These meetings highlight everyone’s success and will get you pumped up to crush the week. I swear, I sometimes feel like I am at a TED Talk by how motivating they are.
Highlights from GMS
I can talk all day about my favorite things at GMS, but I am going to highlight some of the top experiences. We dedicated an entire week to shadowing all the departments at GMS. This not only taught me what each department does daily, it also helped me connect with a ton of people. Our HQ is a large building, but it became smaller after I shadowed and grew more comfortable.
One of my favorite things was going on ride-alongs. This is where you shadow different reps on all kinds of appointments. From first meetings, to proposals, and popping in to see how their clients are doing, you will get to experience all aspects of the sales cycle. Seeing GMS come to life in these meetings is where I learned best. I was able to connect the information I learned in training and shadowing the departments.
One of my favorite experiences during my internship was the National Sales Conference: GMS Vision, which includes the sales departments from every office across the country. Working with the managers and the VP of sales to help organize this event was so much fun and having all the offices under one roof to learn and grow together is very rewarding.
Not only will you learn and grow as a professional, but you will have a blast doing it. The culture at GMS is something I have never seen before. You will make great friends and have some fun times! You will laugh so hard and smile so much with these people. If you are wondering if you should hang out with them outside of work, the answer is yes! Go to the lunches, the dinners, the workout classes, the Indians games, the cookouts, and go play a game of cornhole even if you aren’t good.
GMS: A Memorable Experience
Taking this internship at GMS was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have grown personally and professionally because of the influential people here. Your manager will become someone you look up to and mess with from time to time. The person you sit next to will become your new best friend. There will be someone that you know you can always laugh with and there will be someone who will straight up tell you the truth.
If I can think of one quote to describe this company it’s “work hard, play hard.” Everyone here works their tail off day after day and has some great times together, as family. A lot of the people you meet will have no idea how much they did for you but thank them even if they don’t get it completely. Going back to those initial thoughts and feelings, I talked about at the beginning… don’t be intimidated to apply and don’t fear this kind of experience. If you’re debating between where and what you want to do, I recommend GMS with my entire heart.
Thank you, Mike Kahoe, for everything you do. Thank you for creating an amazing company and giving me this opportunity. Another thank you to Dan Flanagan for being the best manager I could’ve asked for and for making me laugh every time you laugh. Finally, a huge thank you to the entire sales department – you all have taught me so much and I thank you for always being there to help me. My internship experience has been nothing but the best and I am grateful for everything this company has given me.
Want to join the GMS family? Check out our current openings and apply to GMS today!