“I'm Yejin Yi, and I aspire to be a driving force of Nota's intern program.” After much crafting and contemplation, this was the opening line of my application to Nota. Eager to stand out from the crowd, I researched the company diligently, even decorating my application with the team blog's unique color code (#2759FF). Looking back, you could say my application was a bold declaration of my passion and desire to succeed with the company.
As I sit here today, four months on, one thing is certain: I am happy to say that I am realizing the promises I made in my resume. Transitioning from applicant to applicant guide, from reading the team blog, to becoming a contributor. I want to help the company grow and improve, from internal communication to external recruitment. Day by day, I am evolving and carving my own path within the company.
Interviews: Both Sides of the Coin
The moment I stepped into the Nota office for my first interview, I felt an immediate sense of cooperation and camaraderie. The People & Culture Team welcomed me so warmly that I very personally understood the importance of elevating the candidate experience. The warm welcome, coupled with a detailed office tour, left an indelible mark that still influences how I operate today.
After experiencing and coming to understand the importance of good recruitment at Nota, I immersed myself in ways to further improve it as an intern. Guiding new applicants through the office, I always remember to convey Nota's Leadership Principles, highlighting the flexible, autonomous working environment. Hearing an applicant say, “I've never been to an office this friendly”, or “I want to work here even more now!”, makes it all worthwhile.
As part of my internship, I have been lucky enough to participate in the onboarding process of new Nota Crew members. My first task as part of the People & Culture team, was to participate in a Leadership Principles session, with the responsibility of collating feedback. It allowed me to share honest perspectives from new employees, and contributed to the redesign of our onboarding process that will take place next year.
The Team Blog: From Reader to Author
As an applicant, my understanding of Nota was significantly influenced by the team blog. The position that I applied for mentioned team blog responsibilities as part of the job, namely managing and contributing content to its ongoing efforts, in accordance with Nota's Core Values and Leadership Principles. Naturally, this led me to reading over as many blog posts as I could, developing a genuine interest and curiosity about Nota life.
As I began my life with Nota, I soon came to realize that being a blog writer is about more than just the written content. So much work is done behind the scenes. From brainstorming ideas that would interest readers, to planning and conducting interviews, creating questionnaires and refining every draft from A to Z. It is a big commitment that takes time and effort, but the payoff makes it all worthwhile.
My second blog post, “A Meeting Of Minds”, was especially challenging. It demanded a lot of my time and effort. I had to reach out to three individual team leaders for interviews. Despite the challenges, I was proud of the final product and thankful for the thoughtful and interesting responses the team leaders provided.
Enduring Memories
Looking back, I am proud of the work that I have done. I don't think that I radically altered the trajectory of the company, but I always gave my best. I left my own subtle, yet distinct, mark on company introductions, the onboarding process, and the team blog. As I shared more and more posts on our bulletin board, my name gradually built up its own little reputation under the author's section.
One of my most enduring memories with Nota is the time I prepared gifts and letters for everyone who participated in interviews with me when I was writing for the team blog. Knowing that they conduct many interviews and meetings, I gave them handmade herbal candies to soothe their throats. During my interviews with them, their charismatic leadership and sunny disposition were always on display. Beyond inspiring my writing, the communication and feedback they gave me helped direct my own work and future with the company. It was the least I could do to show them some appreciation and gratitude.
Sink or Swim
Being a fresh intern at a new company is a lot like being thrown into the deep end of a pool. But thanks to my warm and generous colleagues, I was able to navigate the waters of Nota, and make a success of my time with the company. I am proud of the impact I made, and of the traces that my work has left. Becoming someone who contributed to the success of the company, I can happily say that I achieved the goals that I set out beforehand.
Nota Inc. People & Culture Team Intern | Yejin Yi