18 November 2009 - 16:25Interview with Nicole Fiamingo
During the summer of 2009, Nicole Fiamingo, a senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business at Keystone College (KC), completed an internship with the online gift and food retailer, Igourmet.com. Igourmet.com was named “Best of the Web” by Forbes magazine in the gourmet food category for seven consecutive years. Nicole recently sat down with fellow KC student, Kayleigh Delfino, to discuss her internship experience.
Kayleigh: Tell me a little bit about how you went about finding an internship.
Nicole: A career counselor here at Keystone College forwarded the opportunity to me.
Kayleigh: How did you decide igourmet.com was a good choice for you?
Nicole: After receiving the information, I reviewed igourmet’s website and established contact with the company. After interviewing with Lisa Griffiths, the marketing manager at igourmet, I knew instantly that I fit comfortably with the company’s’ culture and in return, igourmet would provide me with a great real life experience!
Kayleigh: Would you recommend this internship to your friends?
Nicole: Yes and I have recommended this internship! As an intern at igourmet, you are treated just like everyone else, you are one of the family. They are flexible with your hours and provide experience within multiple departments so that you can get the whole picture of how the organization works, which is by teamwork and selflessness.
Kayleigh: What were your responsibilities?
Nicole: My responsibilities consisted of working in the warehouse fulfilling shopping orders, qualifying the orders, and shipping the orders. This opportunity provided me with a clear picture on how someone can place an order online, then that information is sent to the company where the company then processes the order step-by-step to ensure quality. I also had the opportunity to work in the cheese room, which is where they cut all of their cheeses into sellable sizes and package them to withstand the delivery process. Additionally, I worked in customer service where I gained experience in placing orders for customers, fixing order problems, and basic customer service tasks.
Kayleigh: Was there a department you liked working in the best and why?
Nicole: I really enjoyed the overall experience. I think that the company did an outstanding job setting up an internship experience in which their interns are able to experience different departments and gain knowledge of the overall company. But, if I really had to pick my favorite department, I would have to say the cheese room, because they had set aside multiple cheeses for me to taste! It was a great learning experience. Cheese is no longer just cheese to me. There are many different kinds and each have their own uniqueness.
Kayleigh: Do they just have cheese or do they offer other items?
Nicole: No, they have cheese, meat, they work with a local winery, and they also have gift baskets.
Kayleigh: What did you find most challenging about your internship experience?
Nicole: The most challenging part of the internship experience for me was shopping orders. When fulfilling orders you go into a cooler, and you have to find an item in accordance to their specific items numbers. That in and of itself isn’t too bad but I always got a little chilly in the cooler!
Kayleigh: Did this experience help you with your career goals at all?
Nicole: My internship at igourmet provided me with a numbers of skills that will help me further my career goals.
Kayleigh: What advice would you give to a student who is thinking about pursuing an internship at igourmet?
Nicole: Any student who is considering an internship at igourmet should be able to multi-task. This is not an internship in which you stay in one department. If you enjoy change and staying busy, then igourmet will be a good experience.
At the conclusion of her internship experience, Nicole was offered a part-time position with Igourmet.com. She plans to pursue a master’s degree after graduating from Keystone College in May 2010.
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