My university journey was very challenging, especially at the start. I remember receiving my mid-semester test grades and instantly wanting to drop out after almost failing each one.
From this, University taught me about persistence and pushing myself to overcome the many obstacles that were put in front of me. This has been so easily applicable to my time at Firefly so far, as challenges are thrown my way each day but it is my responsibility to make sure I find a solution to these, with the support of the team.
On my first day as an intern, I felt a mix of emotions; nervous, but eager to learn as much as possible. I was very thankful that the team at Firefly eased my nerves and gave me the support I needed to be successful. The responsibilities I was given as an intern would be rare to find in a normal organisation; however, that helped me to grow significantly faster than if I was allowed no input at all. They respected me as a member of the team from the very beginning, which was a great feeling.
After being at Firefly now for just over a year and being a full time paid specialist for 10 months, I am still excited to come into work every day to tackle the next challenge. I have been given the opportunity to work with some great people, and awesome clients that we are proud to do good work for.
My first bit of advice when looking at internships and applying to your first job, would be to make sure you enjoy the work environment you are in, before going for the position. When you wake up and look forward to your day at work, then you know you are in the right place. The team around you can so often define your ability to tackle a situation head on, and turn a crappy situation into one to laugh about.
My second bit of advice for someone wanting to transition from an intern to a full time employee would be to offer something that is unique and valuable. At the end of the day, the employers are investing in you to get a return for the business. My best advice on that would be to try all aspects of the business (if possible) to see what areas you can offer the most value in, and then work hard to prove yourself in that position.
One of the aspects of Firefly that I love the most about working here is that everyone comes together as one to help each other to reach and over achieve the company's ultimate goals. Another aspect of Firefly that I love is that you are encouraged to be hands-on and to learn from the mistakes you will make along the way. With Firefly being a fast growing company, you never come across a ‘boring’ day which means you are always learning and having to be on your toes.
At the end of it, I’m grateful for the opportunity to land a full time role in a job that I really enjoy, at a company I love working for.