My experience as an intern at GMS has been nothing short of amazing. In the three months that I’ve been here, I have had times of information overload—in a good way—and times of building relationships. When I talk to my friends about their internship experiences and they begin to explain the tasks they have to complete, I often hear “I just sit at a computer all day and do boring stuff” or “I actually grab coffee for people and organize things for my boss.” When they return the question back to me, it feels a little bit awkward because I could go on forever about what I do here at GMS. So, what has my summer looked like so far at GMS?

What have I done?

If I get into detail, then we’re going to be here forever because I’ve obtained skills that I didn’t know existed. I learned how to speak in a professional manner, how to dress professionally, how to manage my time, how to build relationships, and how to take criticism.

Why is any of that important?

Presentation

When you’re in the workforce you must speak professionally; it’s just a fact. You cannot possibly try to sound like an established business person if you’re speaking in slang. Former intern and current Sales Representative Sara Scacchi taught me that first hand, while I shadowed her during a first meeting. 

Dressing professionally is also incredibly important. Kate Carnahan stressed this during her presentation at our National Sales Conference in Indianapolis. I learned that you are judged within the first 15 seconds of meeting someone. How happy do you think I am to know that now? My outfits require plenty of planning. 

Time Management

Managing time is critical to your success, not only college, but in the workforce as well. You better keep tabs and reminders for days and times that you have appointments or meetings to make sure you are meeting and exceeding expectations. 

Building Relationships

Having a healthy relationship with people you work with just gives you another reason to be excited to wake up and go to work in the morning. I enjoy seeing the people at GMS every day. They all have such unique personalities, but all these personalities complement each other. 

Growth

Every person working at GMS cares about growth, for themselves and for others. My sales manager, Dave, even said in my initial interview with him that he wants everyone working here to succeed and to grow. How cool is that? 

Working at GMS as an intern this summer helped me realize that constructive criticism never stops. It’s all just to ensure that you don’t plateau as an employee. Everyone wants to see you succeed.

In the end…

I do not think I could have landed a better opportunity for an internship this summer. I have had such a wonderful time learning new things and hearing things I’ve learned in school. I took a sales class in the fall that, so far, has mirrored exactly what the sales world is like. It’s been eye-opening working here at GMS this summer and I can’t wait to bring what I’ve learned back to school so that I am a better student.

Want to join the GMS family? Check out our current openings and apply to GMS today!

Welcome to GMS! I am so excited for you to start your career with such an amazing company. I was a summer intern in 2018 and learned so much from the people at this company. I figured I’d give you a heads up as to what’s to come.

You’ll feel overwhelmed for sure in your first week. Any time you start something new, you’ll feel that way. Don’t worry though, your new co-workers will help you through it all.

You’re going to meet some amazing people while you’re at this company. You’re going to meet a rep who’s been here for a while and you might not know how to feel about him at first. Give that some time because you’ll see another side of him when you go to the sales conference and you’ll become friends. Another rep is one of the biggest goofballs you’ve probably ever met, but he’s also really good at what he does. I suggest learning from him. There’s another rep who you’ll meet and she’s one of the sweetest humans you’ve ever come across. You’ll teach her things about social media and use terms she’s never heard in her life. In return, she’ll teach you things about life and be a great person to share secrets.

One of the very first reps you’ll get to know will probably start to call you her duckling. She’ll take you under her wing and try her very best to help you succeed. Make sure you thank her frequently for dealing with you daily. You’ll meet one of your favorite people while you’re here. You’ll admire her for being herself at all times and thank her for making you laugh daily.

You’ll meet so many others: a self-proclaimed Dave Franco look-alike, a new guy who is secretly a famous musician, a sweet little brunette who actually loves soccer more than you do, a big, tall guy who keeps tags on his T-shirts, a mom who is more like your college bestie, a guy who becomes your bestie just so you stop bugging him about being friends, and a few others who are just as special. You might even meet your work dad!

You’ll get to know your manager pretty well too. He’ll make you realize how much potential you have, and that sales is a career that you’re capable of doing. There won’t really be a “right” way to thank him, but make sure he knows how much you appreciate everything he’s done, even if he’s not aware of exactly what he did. 

You’ll want to thank the whole office for impacting you in different ways and teaching you so much. So, thank you Andy, Justin, Shelly, Sara, Zemba, Zach, Branden, Brandi, Drummy, J-Maas, Schooly, Dave, and everyone else at GMS. I’ve loved every second of my summer thanks to you guys.

Want to join the GMS family? Check out our current openings and apply to GMS today!

“How has your internship been going?” I’ve been asked this question more times than I can remember this summer. Family and friends have been seeing my social media posts all summer and are curious as to what I’ve been learning. 

When I was asked this question for the first time, I took a long pause—not because I didn’t know what to say, but because I didn’t know how to put it into words. How do you put into words that you’ve learned more about yourself in 10 weeks than you have your entire life? How do you tell your family that you now have a second family in the office? How do you say that you’re sad to leave your internship when your senior year of college is approaching?

If someone at the beginning of the summer told me that I would feel like this about an internship, I never would have believed them. As I’m getting ready to go back to college, I’ve realized that GMS and the people there have had such an impact on me and have taught me more than I ever expected. These are the top three things they’ve taught me.

Teamwork

Every single person at GMS works together. It’s rare to step into a sales office and see all the reps working together instead of competing against each other. They all truly act as a family here. A good family is a strong team and I believe that’s why they’re so successful. More times than not, teams work better than individuals and this company proved it to me.

Knowledge

I took this internship in hopes that I would learn more about the sales world and the working world in general. Learning to work in an office environment after learning in a classroom setting my entire life is a little bit of an adjustment. I like to be able to learn and fail behind closed doors and that’s not an option here. 

I was thrown in to the mix of it when I started and messed up time after time, but people here helped me fix what I was doing wrong. When I messed up and was frustrated with myself, they helped me figure out what I could say differently on a call to be more successful. When I booked my first appointment, everyone was so excited for me and helped walk me through the rest of the process without me even asking. I didn’t have to figure it out on my own like I would have if I hadn’t been thrown in to it.

Confidence  

I feel as though my internship with GMS has been so different from those of my college friends. This company is like a big family. Everyone truly cares about their co-workers and encourages each other to keep grinding and keep being the best sales rep possible. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to spend eight hours of my day. 

People don’t understand the importance of a company’s culture. The people at GMS made me realize that I have more potential than I ever saw in myself and gave me the confidence to pursue a career in sales and I could never thank them enough for that. During my time here, I feel like I’ve been adopted into this crazy family dynamic. I never imagined that I would be so sad as my time here at GMS comes to an end. I’m going to miss the daily laughs and smiles that these people have brought me.

Want to join the GMS family? Check out our current openings and apply to GMS today!

I spent this summer working at Group Management Services as their marketing intern, and I can surely say this experience has exceeded all my expectations. As I wrap up my 11-week program at GMS, the feelings have grown from scared and nervous to bittersweet and confident. Even though this is my last week at GMS, I know I am going back to school with more knowledge and new relationships because of the people and resources at GMS. 

I say “started from the bottom now we’re here” because coming in as a 19-year-old intern, I was anxious about how I would adapt to the professional world. I questioned if my manager would be able to trust me to get my work done – and I even thought I may not fit in – but I learned quickly that I am not alone in this process and GMS wants to do everything to make you successful in your career. 

I could write a whole book on everything I did this summer, but I will leave you with the biggest takeaways I have learned in my time at GMS.

Relationships Set the Foundation 

Throughout this internship, I was able to meet people with different personalities and I am able to value the relationships I made with each one them. I never would have thought the girl I sat next to everyday would become one of my best friends, my manager would be like my big brother, and the two girls sitting across from me would turn out to be my workout buddies. Not only have I made friendships with my co-workers, but I know I can go to them for anything. The way people go out of their way to connect with you, just in passing through the office, sets the foundations for meaningful relationships that develop over your time here. I was so lucky to call GMS my second home for the summer. 

Be True and Be You 

The employees at this company are what makes GMS such a fun workplace. From people in benefits to payroll and client services, everyone is completely themselves and it helped me be open and honest with the people I worked with. I was lucky enough to take on assignments and add “my spin” on those projects. When I would talk to people, it was easy to give my ideas because I knew they valued what I was saying and believed in my work. I did not have to pretend to be someone I am not, and it made coming to work easy and enjoyable. 

Work Hard 

Something I really value at GMS is how hard everyone works and believes in their job. To see people put so much effort into what they are doing sets an infectious example for what I want in my future. It reminds me a lot of practicing for basketball: “You want to be the first one in the gym and the last one to leave the gym.” Everyone at GMS is disciplined in their work and want to succeed not only for themselves and their family, but to help grow the company. Coming into work with this mindset is only preparing me for the best and I can’t thank GMS enough for helping me implement this motto. 

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions but Be Confident in Your Work 

I believe my biggest weakness is not being confident enough in myself and I question a lot because I want everything to be perfect. Over 11 weeks, I learned that I have good ideas that can benefit the company and I learned to believe in myself more. During my first couple of projects, I would ask a lot of questions, but I realized my manager trusts me and believes in me to produce the best work. I would ask questions to him and I learned from him, but I also presented ideas in a confident manner. Having an open line of communication and the ability to ask for pointers is an important part in building a strong relationship. 

You Are Way More Important Than You Think 

The most important takeaway I learned this summer working at GMS is that I am an asset to this company and my work I completed over the summer matters. It felt amazing when people came to me saying “The video you made is awesome!” or “Hey, the social media pages look great!” These complements reminded me that my co-workers appreciate me and notice my projects. People would come to me for advice and I know they trusted me and believed in what I was telling them. I think it shows the kind of people that work at GMS because they care for “their second family” so much. 

The biggest advice I could give to someone entering an internship right now is to step outside your comfort zone, be bold, and don’t be scared to show your skills because it is only going to make you stronger and more successful. Make mistakes and learn from them, and always reflect on your experience and the opportunities you are given. 

At the end of the day, I can’t thank GMS enough for everything I have learned over the past 11 weeks as an intern. This was by far my favorite thing I did this summer and I am so happy I made the decision to be their marketing intern. Special shout-out to Matt Schoolcraft for keeping up with me all summer and everyone else who was there for me! You guys are amazing and I’m so lucky to call you friends! This internship has been nothing but amazing and I look forward to taking the skills I learned here with me and my future.

Want to join the GMS family? Check out our current openings and apply to GMS today!

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!

This time last year, I would never dream that I would have an internship my first summer out of college. I barely knew what the purpose of an internship was. Of course, I saw interns in movies running around getting coffee and such, but I never really thought of it as much more than that.

Joining GMS

Fast forward to winter break when I was presented with the opportunity to apply at GMS. I went in completely blind, not knowing much about the business or having much insight on sales in general. The position sounded interesting, and I saw it as something that could help further my education.

Soon after I applied, I received an email for a virtual interview (since I was away at school at University of Kentucky) and I was ecstatic! In all honestly, I had no idea what to expect out of this interview process. I was very nervous, but was pleasantly surprised with how smooth it went and how everyone involved eased my nerves. After interviewing with Melanie Bahr, Kate Carnahan, and Tim Austin, I was more excited than ever for this great opportunity.

After I was offered the job, I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, as I was now set on a job for the summer that would also benefit my college career. 

A Learning Experience

I checked out the company website before my first day and looked over the sales manual, but I really had no idea what I would be walking into on my first day of training. I was surprised to walk into a brand-new building for a quickly growing company that would present me with an abundance of knowledge to bring back to school.

After the first week of sales training, I finally had an understanding of the services GMS offers and how we are able benefit so many companies across the country. GMS is a Professional Employer Organization, providing all levels of human resource administration for small to medium size businesses. I got to see this process put into place while shadowing sales reps on meetings and learning about the day-to-day operations of other departments.

These were all new concepts to me. I honestly had no idea what human resources really entailed before this summer – I just knew that if I had a problem at work that was who I went to for help. I didn’t know what a worker’s compensation claim was or even what employee benefits really entailed. 

Growing Through Experience

While learning all about GMS, office life, and how to be professional, the biggest take away for me is the importance of effective communication. I have been a soft-spoken person my entire life, so I was able to get out of my comfort zone in a very beneficial way. I finally know how to communicate in a professional and confident manner. I was able to develop these skills from shadowing sales reps and making cold calls to business owners regarding the services we offer. 

During the summer of 2019, I spent my time as a full-time sales intern at GMS, but didn’t want my relationship to end with them just yet. The end of the summer was when I finally felt I had the hang of everything I had learned and I wanted to continue putting myself to use. 

I was lucky enough to go into my senior year at Kent State University with a flexible schedule allowing me to keep an internship while remaining a student. Thankfully, GMS gave me the opportunity to do this internship one-to-two days a week. This time around, I was able to work as the marketing intern under the Marketing Coordinator, Matt Schoolcraft. 

A New Business-to-Business Experience

As a marketing major, I saw this as an amazing opportunity to learn and gain more experience, so I was eager at this opportunity. Spending the entire summer at GMS gave me the background knowledge needed to jump right in. There were many classes at school spent learning about marketing skills needed for business to consumer organizations and not many highlighting a business-to-business approach. Knowing GMS is a business-to-business organization, I was eager to see that different technique. 

Working with Matt helped me gain a better understanding on the different tactics that GMS takes to give clients the best information possible. In the past, I have run social media accounts for companies that are business-to-consumer, but what I learned at GMS was a completely different view. Your target market entirely changes which will influence the content a company is putting out. That sounds obvious, but I didn’t have the experience, which opens a new door of learning opportunities. This helped me get better insight and hands on experience needed for working with companies like GMS.

Prospecting was a huge part of what I learned as an intern. You can only learn so many definitions in a classroom before it becomes so much information in your head and you don’t see it happening in person. Being hands on with social media prospecting, internal prospecting, and visual prospecting helped me bridge the two internships together from a sales and marketing standpoint. Creating blog posts and having that linked to my name was a huge eye opener for me. Getting creative to write about human resources and provide information helped me learn about the field while being a resume builder! There are so many tools and resources I got to see working in this position that made everyday fun and exciting. 

An Opportunity for Growth

Looking back at my first day a year ago as a sales intern, to looking at myself now is night and day. Finding an internship that makes you learn something new daily is extremely important as you will excel personally and professionally. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to work under two managers that have helped me, pushed me, and taught me day in and day out.

Want to join the GMS family? Check out our current openings and apply to GMS today!