Q&A with Chris Hewgley: The benefits of interning in two different departments

by Taylor Rouse

Chris Hewgley is a two-time Charles Aris intern who started in research and is currently completing a recruiting internship. Charles Aris marketing intern Taylor Rouse spoke with Chris about his experience and about how interning in both departments has helped him hone his professional skills.

–

Taylor: What made you interested in an internship with Charles Aris?

Chris: After I finished my first year of college, I was looking at what opportunities I had. I hadn’t fully decided on what I wanted to study in college, so I was looking with a wide range. I wanted to be at a top company from where I’m from, Greensboro N.C., and I’d heard great things about Charles Aris from other interns.

Taylor: Why did you choose to return to the same organization but in a different department?

I reached out to Charles Aris and set up an informational interview. I wanted to learn more about what they were doing and to meet some people in the space to see what recruiting is all about. They were all full for internships since I reached out towards the end of that semester, but they reached back out to me and said they had an opening in the research department. I had originally been more interested in the recruiting side, but I thought ‘what a great opportunity to get my foot in the door.’ I got to meet the whole team in research and thought it actually sounded really interesting.

Taylor: How has your experience as a research intern affected your experience as a recruiting intern?

Chris: As a research intern, I worked on a lot of internal projects and a lot of the backend stuff. I’d say the most important thing I learned was identifying talent and learning to see if people would qualify to move forward in searches and were worth contacting. I did a lot of internal database clean up and worked with the CRM system.

We also created an education program for underprivileged people in the community that teaches skills necessary to apply to a job, like creating a LinkedIn, resume and cover letter. Now, on the recruiting side, I’m still using a lot of that stuff I originally learned. I’m still using those tools, identifying talent, reaching out to people and doing searches on LinkedIn. I’m now taking the next step with that and doing that initial outreach and getting to talk with candidates.

Taylor: How do you think completing these internships helped you grow and prepare for working a full-time job?

Chris: I’m learning important communication skills, how to properly write emails and how to hold myself and my presence. An internship is a great way to learn those fundamental, foundational skills that you need. Having to talk to people on the phone who are vice presidents and heads of finance has [taught me a lot of industry knowledge and] allowed me to get more comfortable approaching people.

Taylor: How do you feel your internship experience will affect your full-time job search?

Chris: Working at Charles Aris has given me a foundation for comparison when going to work at other companies. I know how employees should be treated. Charles Aris does so many great things. The senior leaders are always open to giving me coaching advice on my skills and improving different aspects of working here. That has given me a reference for how companies should treat their employees.

Taylor: What do you think is the best way for interns to take advantage of their internship experience?

Chris: No one’s going to get upset with you for asking a question. There are so many times I’ve gotten to join really cool meetings and shadowed fascinating phone calls or business development calls just because I reached out and asked. I think doing that allows you to add small bits and pieces to your game [and helps you improve] the way you talk on the phone or the things you say on a pitch.

Taylor: What is the most important thing you’ve learned from your mentors or others you’ve worked with?

Chris: Working for a recruiting firm has taught me so much about what companies look for in individuals and what they want to see on their resume, LinkedIn and cover letters. It’s been great to be able to add that to my resume and to improve the way I communicate. I get to hear everyone’s feedback about how interviews went and what they liked in the way the candidate presented themselves, and I can tailor that towards my own game. Also, I feel like I’ve learned that being part of a company isn’t as scary as you think. I’ve definitely gotten more comfortable with speaking to senior leaders.

To learn more about how to intern with Charles Aris, visit charlesaris.com/intern-at-charles-aris.