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| Linn |
March 15, 2016 — Sarah Linn may have started her career with the subsidiaries of The Schwan Food Company three years ago, but she remembers it like it was yesterday.
“I was interested initially because I remembered Schwan’s (Home Service) from my childhood and the excitement my brothers and I had every time our Schwan’s representative pulled up,” she said. “I started as an intern. I ultimately picked the internship with Schwan’s after learning about all of the different business units, and it offered me a chance to actually have an impact on the business.”
Today, Sarah works in human resources as a recruiter for Schwan’s Home Service, our home-delivery business unit, and Schwan’s Consumer Brands, which sells branded foods to retail stores throughout North America. She took a moment to tell us about her experiences and gave some solid advice for college students who are looking for an internship.
Q: You started with the company as an intern. Why did you pick Schwan for your internship?
A: I spoke with a recruiter at an ENACTUS event and was initially interested because I remembered Schwan’s (Home Service) from my childhood and the excitement my brothers and I had every time our Schwan’s representative pulled up. I ultimately picked the internship after learning more about the different business units and history of the company. The internship offered a chance to actually have an impact on the business; I was able to work on projects to develop improvements within our field-sales organization.
Q: Do you have any tips for someone looking to be successful in their first internship?
A: My advice is to be open-minded and be willing to learn and try everything that you can and take the time to network within the organization. Don’t be afraid to share your ideas and opinions, no matter who is in the room.
Q: How did your internship prepare you for a full-time position?
A: I was a field-sales intern and had the unique opportunity to learn the ground roots of our business for Schwan’s Consumer Brands. I pull from my internship experience every day with my full-time position. Due to my internship, I am able to have a seat at the table and understand the work that goes into selling our products. I can use actual experience to sell the roles to potential candidates. I am also able to more accurately describe and answer questions related to the field direct-store-delivery positions that I recruit for.
Q: What did you learn during your internship experience?
A: I learned a lot about the company and industry of direct-store delivery through my internship. I had hands-on experience working with our product at the local level, which set me up for success when transitioning to my full-time position at corporate offices. I was able to provide insights on projects related to our field-sales teams to help develop ideas that will have more success during execution.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who is considering an internship with our company?
A: An internship with us will give you hands-on experience that will be relevant no matter where your career takes you. Not only will you have the opportunity to learn about the specific business unit in which you intern with, but you will learn about the entire company. This will allow you to explore your options and interests. An internship with us will give you a seat at the table to make real decisions that impact the business and network with top leaders in the business and industry.
