Interning at SafetyCulture Kansas City, interviews with past interns
SafetyCulture News | By | 4 Apr 2022 | 4 minute read
We’re looking for talented interns to add to our Kansas City office’s culture.
While being named the ‘Best Place to Work’ in Kansas City in 2021 has remained at the top of our resume, we’re not stopping there! Our North American team is growing and looking for the best to join our teams. Our people are central to who we are and what we do. We believe in promoting within, and that doesn’t stop at our internship program.
We asked a couple of interns turned full-time SafetyCulture employees to tell us about their experiences.
Meet TJ Helton
TJ Helton, who started his internship in the height of COVID-19 as a college junior at the University of Kansas and now works full-time as a Business Development Representative.
What were the highlights of your internship?
- The day to day Experience
One of my favorite parts of the internship was that I was able to experience the actual role I was considering. This allowed me to get some fantastic experience and get an idea of what the role would be like in a full-time capacity.
You’re really treated like a part of the team. I think this is pretty rare for an internship, and I absolutely loved the fact that I was doing something that was providing value.
- The open door communication with SafetyCulture leadership
I was constantly getting face-time with our people leaders. I had regular opportunities to bounce ideas off of them or ask about career development, in general, it felt extremely unique and was absolutely fantastic for my career growth. I have all of the notes I took in my internship and I still go back to look at those conversations to this day. This really shows the level of transparency that is emphasized at SafetyCulture so much.
- The opportunities to showcase your unique skill sets
I was able to step outside of my explicit role description to work on special projects. When I was an intern, COVID-19 was at its peak and SafetyCulture had just decided to launch a ‘Safely Back to School Initiative,” a program to give our products for free to school districts as way to get back to learning safely and quickly. I helped bring awareness to this initiative and assisted the districts we partnered with to get back to learning safely.
What made you decide to stay full-time?
First, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in sales, and this internship felt hands-on. It gave me some early success in sales which gave me the confidence to move into a full-time role.
The culture and employees are special. Even though I wasn’t physically present with anyone due to COVID-19 lockdowns, by the end of the summer, I really felt like I had become a part of the team. I knew if I felt like that in a virtual environment, those feelings would only grow in the office.
During my internship, SafetyCulture crossed the billion dollar valuation mark in the US, so I got to see their growth first-hand and how they were poised for even more growth. It ticked all of the boxes for me.
Promotions from within are an important part of the structure and I saw opportunities for roles in the future that don’t already exist. I wanted to be a part of this exciting growth!
Would you recommend the SafetyCulture internship program to others? Why?
Yes absolutely! You get real experience, valuable mentorships, and the opportunity to work with people that also want to get to know you personally. Everyone is driven to work hard every day and it’s the kind of place that makes you want to work hard to support the team.
How did the SafetyCulture internship equip you for worklife?
Because I already had the hands-on experience in a real sales role, jumping in full-time felt like riding a bike. I was able to be effective very quickly.
Meet Miles Manson
Miles Manson, an Enterprise Account Executive, worked for SafetyCulture as an intern and senior at The University of Kansas with the class of our first-ever North American interns.
What did you like about being an Intern at SafetyCulture?
Interning at SafetyCulture was probably the best decision that I made during college! Unlike most internships, it provided me the opportunity to find mentors, shadow top performers, and do the actual job.
I met with a variety of employees who mentored me, including the General Manager of the Americas, Director of Sales, and top Account Managers on a regular basis, and even got to meet SafetyCulture’s CEO.
I had opportunities to shadow top performers and hold meetings with prospects. Overall it was a great experience and would be recommended for anyone interested in sales.
What made you decide to stay full-time?
The company culture (we were named the Best Place to Work 2021!!) as well as the opportunity to step outside of my entry-level role and volunteer for special projects. In my first year, I got to work closely with the General Manager of the Americas to see how we could help schools stay safe during covid.
The opportunity for growth is huge! If you perform, you will get the opportunity to move into different roles. In less than 2 years, I was promoted three times.
Would you recommend the SafetyCulture internship program to others? Why?
I would recommend the sales internship to anyone who is interested in sales or might need more insight into what a real sales role could look like. SafetyCulture’s sales internship gave me the opportunity to actually sell our products, while also shadowing peers and working closely with our other departments.
How did the SafetyCulture internship equip you for worklife?
SafetyCulture equipped me for work-life by allowing me to do an actual sales job, holding me accountable, and giving me weekly and monthly goals.
Personally, without this internship, I wouldn’t have been prepared for work-life after college. If I gave any advice to a college student, it would be to get an internship and put yourself out there. The ability to observe and ask questions to people, leaders, and management was invaluable to me.
The SafetyCulture internship program is a launchpad for individuals to kickstart their careers. We’re currently recruiting interns to join us this summer in Kansas City. Join our team.
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