Q&A with Giovanni Santibanez: Transitioning from intern to full-time

Giovanni Santibanez is an associate recruiter at Charles Aris Executive Search who was formerly a recruiting intern. Taylor Rouse, a current marketing intern, spoke with Giovanni to learn how the internship experience impacted his transition to working full-time, and the advice he has for anyone starting their careers.

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Taylor: What made you seek out a recruiting internship?

Giovanni: I was interested in a recruiting internship because I wanted to expand my knowledge and gain better communication skills. I placed a high value on being able to listen to executives and client needs. Being able to hear about different markets and different company strategies was very exciting for me. The idea of being able to make a huge impact on many lives was something that I was passionate about.

Taylor: What are your key takeaways from your internship?

Giovanni: My major takeaway would be the importance of these four things: communication, organization, planning and determination.

Communication is very important, because in the world of recruiting you can’t be successful if you can’t connect with people. Communication between colleagues is just as important because there is power behind asking questions to learn from others. Not being organized or having a written plan will lead to failure because you’ll end up missing assignments or being unprepared for meetings. With an efficient plan comes more success.

Lastly, always being determined and having that “just one more mentality” has seemed to be a very important trait at Charles Aris. At the end of the day, it’s the small details that make a difference to having success.

Taylor: What is the value of a college internship?

Giovanni: Trying to balance college assignments, a college sport and an internship was extremely difficult. But after experiencing something like that you learn how to prioritize, and you learn that you need to be organized and prepared for everything.

This internship experience was very eye-opening and helped me become more confident in the classroom, especially during presentations. Once I figured that I could hop on the phone with a senior executive, a presentation in front of my classmates didn’t feel so bad. I think there were tremendous amounts of value in my internship at Charles Aris and things I wouldn’t have learned in a college classroom. In the classroom, you get trained on certain skills to help you, but through an internship you put these skills into action and polish them.

Taylor: What advice would you give to someone starting an internship?

Giovanni: Some advice I would give would be to not take the opportunity for granted. Always be hungry for more, whether that’s more work, feedback, etc. Always ask questions, and feel free to bring up new ideas. Every colleague has unique strengths, so it’s very important to try to reach out and learn from as many as possible. Never feel like you can’t do something, always do it the best way that you possibly can and ask for help when needed.

Taylor: How have you grown throughout your experience at Charles Aris?

Giovanni: I’ve grown personally and professionally through the connections and training that I’ve been exposed to. I’ve lost the fear of being on the phone as I know that mistakes are bound to happen. On a personal level, I’ve truly met people at the firm that care about my growth, and nobody has ever denied me help.

Being part of the Charles Aris team at the start of my career has been very meaningful because the training has been so fundamental. I truly feel like I have all the tools to allow me to become successful here at Charles Aris. Not only do I have the tools, but I have support from my colleagues across the organization. The firm is always changing and finding ways to help the associates. As I’ve learned at Charles Aris, every day is a new learning opportunity.

Taylor: What are your goals for your full-time role?

Giovanni: To transfer the skills I gained through my internship into a full-time role and have early success. I have ambitious plans to close many searches, but most importantly, I want to do things the right way. I want to make sure I can plan efficiently and effectively and make long-term relationships. I will focus heavily on the small details and try to make sure that I can also be a resource to the ones around me. At Charles Aris, I’m truly blessed to have the support of my colleagues and be part of such a welcoming environment.

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