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Couple weeks ago I tweeted about how my boss told me I was late on an assignment even though I started two days ago. Go follow me https://twitter.com/akambham. Full disclosure, it wasn't actually me who got called out, it was another manager on the team, but it was too much work to give all that context on Twitter (Yeah go ahead call me fake news). That's why I'm starting this blog series, so I can give you guys a better understanding of what my life is like being an intern in corporate America. Don't worry SharkNinja, I'm not going to reveal company secrets, please don't fire me.
Three weeks ago I started my summer internship at SharkNinja as a product development intern. "They're the company that makes the Ninja blenders" is usually what I tell people when they ask who they are. So far, I'd say it's been a pretty sweet gig. I've learned a lot about how a billion dollar company is run, the hierarchy of the corporate food chain, and most importantly, all the different moving pieces and teams that make a company like SharkNinja work.
As a product development intern, a lot of what I do is product testing. This means not only making sure a product fits the specifications that our team outlines, but also conducting consumer testing and making recommendations to the engineering teams. One thing I did not expect was how hard communication on a team is. I’ve noticed that a lot of inefficiencies occur because of a lack of communication within the team, usually because the expectations are unclear to begin with. This is why team meetings are so important because they allow teams to clearly define goals and responsibilities. It’s impossible to get rid of every inefficiency, but better communication within the team is definitely a big first step. At work I try to attend as many meetings as I can, even if they aren’t related to my team or projects because the more I know about what’s going on in the company the more opportunities I have to help and contribute. Also, it’s always interesting to hear what other people are working on at SharkNinja.
I’m currently studying the Lean Product Development process right now to better understand how we can run our projects more efficiently in the future, and let me tell you, I LOVE this. It’s all about planning projects, managing teams, leadership strategies, and how to meet deadlines, which all of us college students could use some help with. Lean PD has helped me advise my team and create novel approaches to tackle upcoming projects, but it has also given me helpful tips on how to be successful outside of work with school, personal projects, and whatever life throws at me.
Not everything is roses and sunflowers though. Part of consumer testing means I have to ship out the units myself, manage emails, track issues, etc. It’s all part of the job I guess.
On another note, it’s been truly *great* living by myself. My diet consists exclusively of Maggi, Top Ramen, and Barbecue Lays. I like to switch up my noodles a little. In all seriousness, I’ve been starting to learn how to cook, go to the laundromat while I fumble for quarters until the lady feels bad for me and just gives me a Tide pod, and worst of all, sleep in 90 degree weather with no A.C. Most mornings I wake up in a pool of my own sweat so that’s great. On the weekends I get to visit my friends and family that are in Boston right now, Kaushal, Sejal, Sam, and the Nimagaddas, who have shown me a lot of love out here. If you’re reading this, I appreciate you guys. Yesterday, I went into Boston and did what I love to do most; check out the streetwear shops around town. I visited Bodega, Riccardi, and Concepts and left with my wallet still intact, so that’s always a good feeling. I’ve also gotten to try some great food around town including the Italian joints that everyone raves about. I still have yet to try the seafood so if you have any recommendations (and want to sponsor my meal) please send them my way.
I feel like these past three weeks have flown by but at the same time I’ve learned so much through my internship and just living in Boston. I’m really excited for what the next two months hold in store for me and stoked to share my new experiences with you all. Let me know what other content you guys want to hear about from me!
Peace!