Undergraduate Blog / Career Development

Reflecting on Personal Growth

Reflecting back on the beginning of my internship, I considered myself a strong communicator and socially inclined. However, my drastic growth in communicating and relationship building has shown me how much room I had for development. Although I did not reach my sales goals, despite my tenacity and diligence, I see my personal development as something much more priceless.

Reaching my sales goals would have been a loud boast on my resume, however; I feel that my development in communication and relationship building will be much more valuable to my academics and future career as an entrepreneur. I specifically developed my ability to connect with others and build a rapport with them, which is the backbone of relationship building and vital to my career as an entrepreneur. The most successful businessmen have enormous networks, and their networks were built because of their strong communication skills.

After talking to thousands of customers about pest control while still maintaining a friendly nonchalant atmosphere, I found the perfect balance between personal connection and professionalism, which is essential to relationship building in the business world. I even began to apply this newfound skill to network with my co-workers by growing our personal relationship while simultaneously building a professional one that benefits us both in regards to our internship position. I plan on utilizing this valuable skill everywhere I go in the future. Whether it is on campus at Babson or at a job fair, I plan on using my relationship building and communication skills to form a relationship that benefits both parties in respect to our careers.