Dear ThinkPad red mouse button (I’m going to call you Reddy),
I admit that I hated your guts the first time I met you. I thought you were over-imposing and in-the-way; I compared you to the protective seal on a new ketchup bottle, always getting in the way of my condiment delights. To me, you were a red blob wedged in between the G, H, and B keys and your existence was unnecessary. You were a parasite to society that drained resources without returning any use to your owner. You were an absolute waste of rubber that could have been made into a functional tire for an imported car to be driven around by the son of a rich executive.
Oh Reddy, I have wronged you.
The first time I poked you, you were all over the place.
But then, as I kept poking you over the first week of my internship, I found use for you after all. The sloppy navigation and uncontrollable mouse jerks eased day after day. I went from “oh, darn, I, can’t, click, the, start, button, mouse, all over, the, place” to “start button you have been accurately and successfully clicked.” Soon enough, you replaced my regular trackpad (I call him Tim; you’ll notice I tend to name inanimate objects) and you even trumped the regular old-school mouse (I call him Mouse).
And we lived happily ever after…
… until I discovered that you are part of an evil scheme to make me dependent on you. You see, Reddy, you are nothing but a criminal ploy by Lenovo (then IBM) to hook business users into using their laptops and never switching brands. If I get too used to your smooth velvety texture, I simply cannot live without you. I’ll have to come to the office during the year and beg Protiviti to let me have the laptop back, even for a day. One whole day to poke you and click on useless buttons on the screen just for the sake of it. But then again, this wouldn’t be a problem if I came back and worked for Protiviti, right?
When I first heard about the Protiviti internship the words used to describe it were challenging, demanding, and exhilarating. Little did I know that the words exhausting, entertaining, surprising, riveting, and fun would describe this experience just as well. In my brief stint as an intern here at Protiviti I have:
Gone to Disneyworld
Attended two baseball games (caught my first foul ball ever)
Went to Vegas (to work of course)
and been hazed at Oreganos by my project team (see the jalapeño picture above). All of this has happened in a very short 6 weeks. What may be of the most importance is the stuff that I have acquired on the job. The two most important concepts that have stuck with me are being trained through experience and the culture of Protiviti.
I believe every intern and member of the Protiviti knows exactly what I’m talking about when culture is brought up. Need some proof? How about the answer from every facilitator on the question, “What do you enjoy most about your job?” The answer, “I love the people I work with!” It is a culture of friendly motivated employees who know how to walk the line between work and play. From the many happy hours to intern events such as: rock climbing, charity events, and expensive lunches Protiviti is high on the social aspect of the work culture. This culture also has benefits when it comes to the training aspect of the job.
Learning through experience, possibly the most frustrating concept ever thought of. In Protiviti this is the bread and butter of the training method. It is the equivalent to sink or swim. But of course as interns we are not left alone. We are given the great joy of managers and seniors to annoy with silly questions about how to function in the real job world. And believe me they love being asked how to do just about everything on top of performing their own work. It truly is an amazing model on how to learn to solve all the different types of client problems. I personally have been on regulatory, compliance, and financial services projects. In my opinion they are worth all of the confusion and frustration that will inevitably come with learning an entirely new methodology.
(This is Sunny, one of the few seniors who were just ecstatic to review all of my reports.)
So all in all this internship has been challenging and most important a view into the exciting and always changing field of business consulting. It has been a struggle and a joy, but what matters is that it has been an internship that has changed my perspective and view on what a career should offer you as an employee.
By: Kirk (Phoenix office)
Still confused about my role as an intern, I began my second week of the internship at an oil and gas company, my new assignment. I quickly realized that despite what people say, auditors know how to have fun too. The only problem was that this fun was at the intern’s expense…
Prank #1 - Wacky Laptop
- Every time I would leave my computer unlocked I would come back to find that my screen was flipped upside down. This might not be a problem for many, however being a Macbook user for most of my life; it took me 20 minutes to figure out how to flip it back up. I began to question myself and thought that I was accidentally pressing random buttons before walking away from my computer each time. This little prank taught me to always lock my laptop before leaving it unattended.
Prank #2 - Coffee Run, “The Failed Prank”
- Still not suspecting that the Protiviti audit team was playing pranks on me, one of my managers told me that at this client site they have a Friday tradition. Every Friday morning, 1 person has to get coffee for the entire team. This week it was my turn. So I began to walk around to each team member asking them for their Starbucks order. To my surprise only one person wanted coffee. Some “tradition” this was. I went to Starbucks and got 2 coffees, one of which was for me. However, I later learned that the initial plan was to give me multiple complicated orders so that I would have to struggle bringing it all back. It was a good thing that most of the team didn’t have the heart to make me go through with that. In the end this prank failed.
Prank #3 – The Longwait, “The Prank that gave it away”
- After a very subtle prank #1 and a horribly executed prank #2 I still had no idea that pranks were being pulled on me until I encountered the “longwait.” It was a Friday afternoon right before lunch, and one of the managers rushed up to me and told me to get a “longwait” from the mail room. I asked him to repeat what he wanted and he slowly repeated himself and said a “longwait.” It seemed pretty urgent so I didn’t want to waste time and ask what it was. I figured once I picked it up from the mail room I would know what it was and why he needed it. I headed downstairs to the fifth floor mail room and once I got there I asked the workers for a “longwait.” They replied and said “it’s not quite ready yet just have a seat over there somewhere.” So I sat and waited, and waited, and waited. I didn’t see the mail room workers doing much work or trying to put a “longwait” together at all, so I finally asked them “is the longwait anywhere close to being ready?” They began to smile and crack up and said “yeah, I think it’s about time, your long wait is over, you can go back up now.” I sat there dumbfounded and shocked that my team members pulled a prank on me, and even more surprised that the mail room workers at the client site were in on it too! I went back up stairs with a smile but also feeling pretty embarrassed. As I walked back in the team started laughing and apologized over and over again saying that they had to do it. We went to lunch and they explained how they had been trying to pull pranks on me the whole week.
Every time I think about my experience on this project, I can’t help but smile and laugh. Now I’m looking forward to the day when I can be the one to pull pranks on an intern!!
By: Ishu (Los Angeles office)
Throughout the internship, I have enjoyed countless educational and fun-filled experiences. I would like to share all of them with you but I have decided to narrow it down to my "top five" for your reading pleasure!
1) Exercising next to the CEO: I bet you do not know the story behind this one. Optimistically, I packed some workout clothes for training in Orlando, FL (which feels like forever ago). After attending the first day of The Intern Challenge, I knew there would be absolutely no time to workout, except before the day started at 8:00AM. I am certainly not a morning person, but since I packed workout clothes I decided to give it a try! One morning, I groggily arrived at the fitness center at 5:30AM and to my surprise, Joe Tarantino already beat me to the punch. Maybe morning workouts are a good habit to get into!
2) Diamond Backs Game: Who doesn’t enjoy an afternoon baseball game instead of going back to work and fighting the post-lunch food coma?! Just be sure to watch out for fly balls!
3) Introducing my coworkers to an East Coast favorite: While driving to the client site in Harrisburg, PA, I spotted one of my high school favorites – Rita’s Italian Ice. The actual building does not draw much attention, but I informed my coworkers, Katie and Rob, that they
had to try it for themselves. They ended up liking it so much that we probably had the delicious treat pictured below
every day for the rest of the trip!
4) Travel: I enjoyed all of my travel experiences during the internship. The Intern Challenge in Disney World was nothing short of amazing! Also, I was fortunate enough to be placed on a project in Harrisburg, PA so that I could experience even more travel. The business trip taught me what it is like to travel while working on a client – lots of work! On this particular project, we only had one week on site to gather all of the required documentation. I ended up learning more about the process, start to finish, than I ever imagined! We were also able to visit some tourist sites in the evenings including Hershey Park and downtown Harrisburg (it is the capitol of Pennsylvania, after all). One of the best things about traveling to the east coast for work was that afterwards, I was able to visit my family in New Jersey for the weekend. Per the request of Nichole, Associate Director in the Phoenix Office, here is the big-haired Jersey Shore “Snooki” version of me:
As you’ll notice, I am surrounded by all of my favorite things. I obviously sported the above look throughout my visit to "Joisey." Poof, sunglasses, slippers and all!…
5) Wide variety of projects: I worked on three clients and four different projects over the course of the internship. Ironically, the project I spent the most time on was an IT SOX project. I am an accounting major and did not have much prior IT experience, to say the least. I liked being placed out of my comfort zone because it gave me the ability to discover new processes. I realized that just like any other project, I was able to learn the necessary skills, apply them, and become more comfortable with the work I was performing. And as always, someone was there to answer all of my questions along the way! On each of my projects I was taught something new every day, which made the entire experience that much more valuable!
Other noteworthy experiences include 3:00 PM Trivia Time,
almost breaking a client’s shredder, and leading my first meeting!
It was difficult to choose only five “top” experiences because the internship as a whole has exceeded all of my expectations. Now, I truly understand the “work hard, play hard” attitude that serves as the framework for Protiviti's corporate culture. There is a great balance of learning, providing value to clients, and of course, having fun! I have progressed throughout the summer by emulating the qualities of the Protiviti employees I encountered during the internship; from the way they conducted themselves professionally to their ability to maintain a fun lifestyle while still working hard. One of the many lessons I have taken away from Protiviti is that there is always more to learn!
My summer internship with Protiviti was an exceptional experience. I want to thank everyone who was a part of making it happen, and everyone I met along the way who enhanced the experience. Thank you all!
By: Becky (Phoenix office)
Once upon a time, there was an intern in the San Francisco office. He didn’t ask for much, just some tasks to keep him busy, free soda, and the occasional pat in the back. He knew that travelling was part of the job, and thus he prepared to travel to clients all over the bay area: Sunnyvale, San Ramon, Pleasanton, and other equally insignificant towns.
But this isn’t travelling, folks, come on now. The only reason this particular word is used is because of its positive connotation, usually associated with week long vacations and magical getaways to Hawaii, Europe, the Caribbean, and Kansas.
And so this intern always hoped for more. This intern has lived in countries all over the world, and has always wondered what it’s like to travel within the US for business. One starry night, he looked at the sky and saw a light blinking at him: faint, pulsating, and distinctive. “A shooting star!” the idiot thought. He closed his stupid eyes and made a wish that he could be assigned to national engagements and travel to clients all over the US, for business, for free. He started thinking about the adventures and seeings, the airplanes and glamorous hotels, the clients and executive luncheons. When asked for the purpose of his trip, he would just flash his charismatic smile, strike his gelled hair, pull out his corporate Amex, glide his corporate business card out of his shirt pocket, flash his corporate socks, and whisper, “for business.” Perfection… At this point his girlfriend woke up, pierced his dream bubble, informed him that the shooting star was actually a Boeing 747 on its way to SFO, and told him to go to sleep.
But nevertheless, his wish came true.
The next morning, he was called into an associate director’s office. “You’re going to Rochester, New York next week” were the only words that resonated in the intern’s ears. These words changed everything.
And go to Rochester, New York he did.
All events that ensued were a haze, all happening consecutively and rapidly: wake up at 5am; make endless business phone calls to schedule appointments; chat with associate director; get on the plane; die a little inside because of the 7 hour flight; die a little more inside when second flight got delayed; get to the hotel at midnight; wake up exhausted; coffee; attend 5 meetings a day; have a fudge-load of newly-minted information blurted at him; iced-coffee; analyze spreadsheets and make presentations; re-read said spreadsheets and presentations to figure out what he actually typed; latte; go out to dinner with client and AD; go back to the hotel; work some more; pass out; and repeat.
The week ended.
The intern found himself lying on his San Francisco bed the next evening, wondering what part of Rochester he actually experienced. Nothing. Wait, that’s not true; he saw the airport, client site, and a couple of fake Italian restaurants nestled in one of the generic humongous malls next to the client site. “Is this business travel?” he wondered as he started slipping away to a sleeping slumber. “Is it really just a regular client visit except that it is preceded by 7 hours of unruly plane rides and empty hotel beds?” His question wasn’t answered because by then he dozed off and had the usual dream of milking cows on fields of grass.
Yes, the assignment was absolutely amazing and the intern learned so much his brain started twitching. But is there more to business travel? Could the stupid intern have made a more exciting and adventurous experience of this trip somehow? Does Rochester, NY have more to show me? The intern will never know.
Oh wait, never mind; he’s flying there tomorrow, again.
World, I have a dilemma.
It’s not one of those unsolvable existential questions or anything; don’t worry. It’s not even an uber technical IT question that involves countless pages of code and ERP applications. Nah, my manager’s got that covered. My question for you is about one of the most horrendous chores known to man: laundry.
Back in the day (four weeks ago that is) I used to have it down: Once a week I grab my dirty laundry, stick it in the washer, add cheap laundry detergent, add cheaper fabric softener, transfer to dryer, and fold. The laundry beast was tame.
Now however, the woes of a consultant have stricken me. My rags that I used to call clothes are replaced by dress shirts and slacks. Dozens of colors of “consulting gear” have replaced my avid collection of shabby “Cal gear” that used to dominate my closet. While my consulting gear makes me look more professional and painstakingly attractive during the day, they turn into a pile of dirty shirts by night. This brings me to my dilemma. How should I wash those darn devils?
I could just stuff my shirts into the washer with my other clothing; heck I feel generous, I’ll separate them and give them their own load to be free and tumble as they please. I’ll just dry them and fold them like they’re regular laundry. Equality for all!
Ah but wait, this method is known to make the colors fader, the fabric thinner, and most of all it wastes a good two hours of my time. I have spent way too many Friday nights waiting for my laundry to finish while listening to the echoes of a raging party next door. Never again.
Time: 2 Hours.
Cost: $2.5 including drying, in freaking quarters.
My brother, bless him, once said to me: “People think that the trick to great laundry is washing and ironing. I say you should skip the first one and just iron your clothes. It gives them the smooth freshly-washed feeling.”
Not a bad suggestion: I can take off my shirt, iron it and hang it in my closet like today never happened. But what if today did happen? But what if today was a hot day and I sweat while wearing the shirt? What if I overindulged in my burger and spilled mustard on my sleeve? What if I jumped in a river because my assignment was too tedious? Can a steaming iron magically erase the incidents of today? Didn’t think so.
Time: 30 minutes.
Cost: Hygiene.
Did I just say hand wash? Lol, next one please.
I am in the professional service field so there’s nothing wrong with using another professional service to clean my filthy shirts right?
Wrong.
Apparently professional service charges money, lots of it. We’re talking $6 per shirt here. Let’s do some math: 10 shirts X 2 times per month X $6 per shirt X 1.0975 tax = $132/month. Wow, that’s a lot of money.
I do enjoy ripping the plastic protective wrapping with my teeth though…
Time: 30 minutes.
Cost: $132/month + annoying dry clean lady’s attitude
Quit this job and apply for my dream job as a hot dog stuffer at Nature's Bounty Halal Custom Slaughterhouse in Vacaville, CA. My usual attire would probably be appropriate there. I wouldn’t need to wash anything because it will be covered in blood the next day anyway.
Time: All the time in the world, ahhhhh.
Cost: The millions of dollars Protiviti pays me.
Which should I choose? Share your opinion in the comments section
below. Help a brother out yeah?
The following is a description of a unique engagement experienced by an intern at Protiviti:
3:00 a.m.: I wake up to get ready for my next client project. I find out the previous Friday that I am assigned to a client out in Mountain Pass, California. The manager on the engagement has asked me to book a hotel for Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, Nevada. The shuttle pickup to LAX is within an hour, so I get ready by showering, putting on business casual clothing, and finalizing my luggage.
4:15 a.m.: The shuttle for LAX is here. I ask the driver to put my luggage in the back. It's still so dark outside! Thankfully, traffic shouldn't be too bad. You live and die by LA traffic if you are a SoCal resident, so I am really happy I'm going to beat the traffic.
7:35 a.m.: The flight to Las Vegas is finally starting. I look around the airplane and I see family that are looking forward to vacation in Las Vegas. As for me, I open up the corporate laptop to check some last-minute items for the engagement. I then proceed to knock-out on the ride to the Las Vegas airport.
8:30 a.m.: The plane has landed to Las Vegas! I notice the moment I get out of the gate that there are slot machines inside the airport! I proceed to baggage claim and await my manager to pick me up at passenger pick-up.
9:00 a.m.: My manager has arrived to pick me and a senior consultant up from passenger pick-up. I proceed to introduce myself to both of them and ask for our itinerary. My manager tells me that we're heading out to the client site in Mountain Pass California, a mining site that consists of rare earth minerals.
10:15 a.m.: After traveling about an hour on the I-15 South, we finally arrive to the open-pit mine. There are many trailers along with construction workers and their trucks. Apparently, the area is undergoing expansion and modernization. I get out of our rental car and see that we are in the middle of
nowhere.
10:30 a.m.: After finishing setting everything up at my desk inside one of the sub-contractor's trailer, I have a sit-down with my manager to discuss my role in this construction audit. I find out that I will be auditing several invoices that are billed to the client. I am asked to populate information into our work program and tick and tie the given information back to several supporting documents.
11:30 a.m.: Still working through my first invoice. I stop to ask my senior lots of questions, which he encourages. Sometimes the answer to my question has to be found with my manager, so I stop by her room and knock on the door to see if she's available. She tells me that she's about to be in a meeting in five minutes. I proceed to head back to my desk and work on a different section of the invoice.
12:00 p.m.: Lunch! My manager has asked me to drive out to Primm, an area 30-40 minutes away from the mine. She gives me the car keys and I then headed out back to the I-15.
12:35 p.m.: I'm at Primm. Everyone sent me their Subway orders.
1:15 p.m.: Finally back at the trailer. We all eat at our desks while working simultaneously. I'm too engrossed in my sandwich to be fully engaged in the work. It's a Spicy Italian! Mmmm.
1:30 p.m. Back to work. Grabbed some caffeine at the trailer across from ours. There's a possibility that I might be starting on another invoice on top of the one I am currently working on. And thus, the cycle of explanation begins again.
3:00 p.m. Finally finished the first portion of the first invoice. I ask my manager to sit down with me to review my work. She corrects some of the work and explains the reasons for the corrections. I try to take lots of notes on her review so that I won't make the same mistake on the next invoice.
4:00 p.m. Making sure all my work programs are organized, understandable, and that the notes make sense. I sit down with my manager one last time to explain exactly what I had finished, where I left off, and what still needs to be done. I try to write out all of that too, just to make sure I won't forget.
5:15 p.m. Back in Las Vegas! It's crazy how I am working in California, but rest/sleep in Nevada. I try to unwind a little bit before I head out to dinner with the rest of the team at 7:30.
7:30 p.m.: Dinner! A lot of variety here. I eat at a nice French restaurant with everyone. This is the time to get to know your team on a more personal level, which is
always enjoyable.
8:30 p.m.: Everyone is about done with their steak dinner. Great food! But now I'm ridiculously tired from food coma. I'm ready to call it a night. Will probably do some pushups and crunches in the hotel room before I shower and head to bed. I have to wake up early tomorrow due to the one hour commute back to the mine in California.
Those topics will not be discussed here. Apparently, it’s unwise to give one’s opinions on those in the business world. Instead, you’re about to hear another recollection of an intern’s thoughts and opinions, this time from the crown jewel of the evergreen state, about the crown jewel of the evergreen state: Seattle. So, grab your umbrella and Starbucks, and get ready to learn.
- The Space Needle:
According to the greatest source of knowledge ever known to man (Wikipedia, for those of you who don’t follow), the Space Needle was built for the 1962 World’s fair. It stands 605 ft high, and can (supposedly) withstand a 9.1 earthquake. It’s also exceedingly fun to stare at, and without a doubt stands as the iconic image everybody associates with Seattle. If you’re interested, here’s a fun side note I found out about the Space Needle:
- The Committee Hoping for Extra-Terrestrial Encounters to Save the Earth (CHEESE) claims to have plans from the 1962 World's Fair that show the Space Needle was constructed to send transmissions to advanced beings in other solar systems.
I wish I was making that tidbit up as joke, but I’m not. GO CHEESE.
- Pike Place Market:
A massive market set up every day in downtown Seattle. It was started in 1907 at the behest of the locals, who were seriously pissed off their onions had gone up tenfold in price thanks to malicious middlemen. So, they cut the middleman out, and the market has been around ever since. I personally don’t like onions that much, but I’m glad some people did otherwise this little gem wouldn’t exist. The market has all kinds of goods to offer, from fish, to flowers, to clothing, to food, and everything in between (I once saw a specialty belt buckle vendor there). Also, if you’re not Bear Grylls of Man vs. Wild, Pike Place Market is probably the only place you will ever be able to catch a fish with your bare hands. The fish market at Pike Place has made it tradition to toss fish to their prospective customers. Just don’t drop it: you’ll be shunned and disowned by anybody who sees it. Seriously.
- Starbucks:
A lot of Seattleites love their Starbucks. How much you ask?
There are 464 Starbucks in the greater Seattle area. Mind you, there are also plenty of competing coffee chains all over Seattle as well.
Bottom Line: Seattle. Loves. Coffee
- Mt.Rainier:
Alright, so Mt. Rainer isn’t technically in Seattle. However, many of us view it as our own, as it provides a beautiful backdrop for the rare sunny day in Seattle.
- Rain:
You’ll hear us complain about rain a lot in Seattle. Surprisingly though, Seattle doesn’t even make top ten in the country for annual rainfall. It’s typically just a drizzle when it rains here. Then why do we complain so much, you might ask? Because….
- Gray Skies:
On average, it’s overcast for 226 days of the year in the Seattle area. This is why we complain. Seriously. It’s the middle of summer right now, and it’s overcast outside.
When I heard the news, I was not quite sure what to think. “You’re going to be spending 2 weeks in Las Vegas for a project.” At first, I was overjoyed at the thought of spending two whole weeks in Vegas. The lights, the fun, the drinks (non-alcoholic of course…) and all of the allure that comes along with a town affectionately (and accurately) referred to as Sin City.
But then it hit me like an ugly sack of bricks… I am going to be WORKING in Las Vegas…
This became quite the conundrum. Is it possible to be a responsible adult in a city notorious for turning individuals into the complete opposite? I had to devise a scheme to protect my hopes of having a successful internship. This scheme became known as…
THE INTERN’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING IN LAS VEGAS
In 5 easy steps, you can immensely increase the chances that you will not make any career ending moves while not being completely miserable.
1. Per Diem is for eating, not gambling.
Please, for the sake of your health and productivity, DO NOT starve yourself for a few extra hands of blackjack. Restaurants in Vegas can be deceptively expensive, so you’re going to need that money to ward off the dreaded tummy rumblies. Plus, no one wants to have this thought going through your head during a game of roulette: “There goes breakfast…….. there goes lunch….. aaaaaaand there goes dinner.”
2. Stay away from the one-armed bandits.
Slot machines: there is a reason why there are so many of those shiny noisemakers in Las Vegas (approximately 200,000!). Even I could barely resist when my nerd senses were spiked at the sight of a Star Wars slot machine (I wonder if I could have used the force to win the jackpot…). But in all honesty, you’re better off setting your money on fire than putting them in a slot machine (at least you could make smores with the blaze). So ditch the slot machines and your wallet will thank you.
3. The city never sleeps, but you need to.
The fact that there is a 24 hour Chipotle is enticing enough to stay up all night (nothing says midnight snack like a burrito the size of an infant) but I urge you to resist. It is no secret that productivity is directly correlated to the amount of sleep you receive. For interns, we need all the brainpower we can get…
4. Exercise.
Working out? In Vegas? Trust me, nothing quite equates to the look you receive when you ask a casino worker where the gym is located (“Wait… the gym? Seriously? You do know you’re in Vegas, right?”). However, working out regularly is a great way to trick your mind into remembering that you are still working rather than being on vacation. Most hotels will have an adequate gym for a good workout. No gym? Go for a run down the strip in the morning before work. Nothing quite describes the entertainment of going on your morning jog when people are stumbling home to finally call it a night (at 6 am).
5. You’re here for work, not play.
It is simple; this is your career so you need to treat it like any other business trip. Now this does not mean you shouldn’t have fun. Have a drink, go to a nice restaurant, see a show, do some exploring, but avoid the all nighters that have you going to work in the morning smelling like the inside of an ash tray and bad decisions. Figure out the things that you would like to do in the future and come back on vacation when you can truly let loose and enjoy yourself.
So there you have it; a simple plan to make sure you survive your project in Las Vegas. And remember, “What happens in Vegas… will most likely end up on your evaluation.”
David (a.k.a. the kid who did ‘The Dougie’) is an intern from the Denver office. He would like to thank everyone within the Protiviti organization for helping him through this amazing learning experience.
When I was asked by my office if I had any requests for my internship, only one thing came to mind: I knew I wanted to travel. That being said, when the opportunity to spend a week in Denver away from Phoenix's 115 degree mornings and 50-mile wide dust devils, I ran to be the first in line. Little did I know that on my departure date the TSA had mistakenly seen me on the FBI's 10 most wanted list. While passing through security, I was pulled aside, questioned, body-scanned, patted down, taken to a back room, patted down again, and then searched as if I was Timothy McVeigh. I have no idea what I did to get these guys so worked up over my presence but being at the airport 2 hours early was almost not enough time for me to make my flight. However, upon my arrival in Denver I was pleasantly greeted by a cool 75 degree morning and a view that would rival most any. In every direction lie snow covered mountains (yes, snow covered in July), many of which I'm told pass 14,000 feet in height. Lush grass and huge, undeveloped meadows fill in the gaps between highways and developed land and I can honestly say that there are more colors of green here than of all the other colors combined. Furthermore, the office of Denver must have felt bad for me as they took me out to a Rockies game on day 1:
Additionally, the car rental agency must have also heard of my troubles back in Phoenix and decided that their idea of a midsize sedan would be an all-leather seating Suburban. This sucker came complete with satellite radio, climate control, power everything, and seating for 300. I'm entirely certain that I could have fit the car next to me into the back and still have room for a family of four (comfortably I might add).
All things considered, Denver has been one of the most beautiful and interesting places I have visited. I plan on returning for ski season...and I mean hell, with the weather we are having back home, I may just stay here until then.
Every day, you use the black Lenovo ThinkPad to do your manager’s bidding, like write emails and analyze spreadsheets and re-analyze spreadsheets because you screwed up the first time. But did you know that this piece of technology can be used as a lethal weapon to vanquish even your toughest enemies? Here’s how:
Thank you Protiviti for giving us laptops that constantly protect us and allow us to vanquish our enemies in our everyday life. We don’t know what we would do without you.
As a Protiviti Intern, I reflect and realized how crazy this experience can be sometimes. Bouncing from client to client, meeting tons of people, and learning more than I ever thought my brain could absorb. I love it.
One thing I don't love: cancelled flights.
Here is the story about 3 Seattle Interns (collectively known as M3: Matt, Mike and Melissa) who were stranded in San Francisco because an airline’s technology decided it didn't feel like working anymore.
It all began with a beautiful Friday in San Francisco.
As we rode the BART to SFO we all looked forward to getting back to Seattle and getting some sleep that we all desperately needed. Mike and Matt also needed to pack for their journey to the Intern Challenge that would take place on Sunday morning.
As we arrive at the terminal we are greeted with a massive crowd of confused and angry travelers.
We soon find out that all of the airlines computer system is down, not allowing anyone to check in to flights or print their boarding passes. We also hear a rumor that all flights are being grounded until the computers come back on.
At this point the computers had already been down for a little less than an hour and we are told that they will be coming back on soon. So we wait...in this mess...
After about half an hour we realize that "soon" is a relative term that translates into "we have no idea when the computers will come back on", so we start frantically trying to book flights with other airlines. I'm literally jogging through terminals at SFO trying to find anything going to Seattle. Of course, there is nothing. So like any consultant, I start working on mitigating risk.
As Mike and Matt cruise the internet for ways of getting home, I approach possibly the scariest looking customer service agent ever (Mike refers to him as Special Forces) and ask him if we should book hotels and leave the airport. He looks me straight on and says, "It's just going to get ugly from here." So I take this as my cue to grab discount hotel vouchers, book as fast as possible, and find a shuttle to the hotel. In the midst of all this craziness I'm constantly on the phone interrupting Kelly O'Donnell's Friday night trying to get guidance on what to do when and who to contact.
As we ride in the shuttle to our hotel I spend about an hour on the phone with Egencia arranging our flights back home for the next morning. We get everything booked for an 8 am flight. Finally we all get to bed and set our alarms for 5:30 am the next morning.
As we awaken I check online for our confirmation numbers so we can check into our flights.
SURPRISE! Our flights say they weren't booked and we have to rebook for another time because that flight is full.
Speaking with Egencia I find out that our one way flights were out of policy so they were not booked, we try to book through them again, but they warn us the approval will probably not go through in time to get on the afternoon flight. So we all frantically get to the airport and head to the terminal to see if we can somehow get on the flight. Of course, we can't. So we book an afternoon flight and sit in the fancy, modern chairs the airline puts by the check in desk and decide to wait out the long lines at security.
Suddenly, I get a call from an unknown number.
SURPRISE AGAIN! It's Egencia calling saying we are confirmed on the 8 am flight that leaves in....20 minutes. So now we are bombarding the check in desk to see if they can push us through security and somehow get us on 8 am flight. Of course, they can't.
End of the story is, we finally got home and on a fancy first class flight, which is basically like flying in a Vegas night club.
Mike and Matt only had about 15 hours to pack, sleep and get back to the airport, but we all made it safe and sound. It was a frustrating experience, but everything worked out in the end. And now we all have a fun story to tell afterward. :)
Well, it's been two and a half weeks since The Intern Challenge and I've just finished work with my first client in Santa Monica, CA. I worked hard, had fun, and most importantly I learned a lot. I also realized that sometimes there are a lot more perks to being a consultant than meets the eye.
Exhibit A: The awesome view from the client's office (although it is a little annoying to see everyone out at the beach on a nice day when you are working hard in an office).
Exhibit B: The delicious free snacks in the office kitchen including chips, cereal, drinks, and all the peanut M&M's you can eat!
Exhibit C: If the view isn't enough of a perk in itself, try looking across the street and watching them set up to film the show
Californication. You've gotta love Los Angeles!
Everyone has heard of the nightmare that is LA traffic, but how does that affect our interns? We'll go through a typical drive to the office for each of our stalwart road warriors.
Alex: 1 hour 15 minutes
Alex has the most mileage out of the interns, driving from Simi Valley! For some reason, his drive time is shorter than Kevin's. Be careful of those speed cameras!
Kevin: 1 hour 30 minutes
Kevin clocks in at the longest commute. We're not sure why it takes him longer than Alex, but we all feel for Kevin. He has to get up at 5:30 just to make it to work on time! But if you see his hair, you'll understand why he needs that extra 30 minutes.
Ishu: 15 minutes
Everyone wishes they were a Trojan! But... we're not sure if the short commute time trumps the chances of a carjacking. Nevertheless, Ishu has the shortest commute time, but that doesn't mean he's always the first to arrive.
Kristen: 45 minutes
Rather than fight traffic, Kristen leaves early from her apartment and can be found napping in her car before work. This is a good strategy, but there is a risk of walking into the office with bed head.
Michael: 20-30 minutes
Mike gets to ride the metro when he works in the office, which is awesome. After 8pm, the subway gets pretty dicey, so hopefully there aren't too many late nights!
Wow! What a couple of weeks it has been. I think I can speak for the whole west region when I say it feels like it was just yesterday when we were at The Intern Challenge in Disney World having the experience of a lifetime. As you have read previously, we all took away many lessons and memories from that trip – all having to do with process mapping and risk and control matrices, of course! We also built great relationships with interns from across the nation. I’m looking forward to planning a weekend trip to San Francisco with some of the Dallas interns! I enjoyed spending the week in Orlando with everyone (especially those pictured above: West Coast is the best coast!) and hope all of the interns across the country are having a great first couple of weeks at work like I am! I have certainly enjoyed reading the West Region Blog and the blogs of other regions to keep track of what everyone is up to! It seems like we have all realized that one thing has definitely not changed since that fateful week in Orlando: the amount of FOOD. We went from breakfast burritos to the vending machines in the break rooms – a little bit of a downgrade you might think, but add on the team lunches, mentor lunches, buddy lunches, more team lunches, and happy hours and trust me… none of us go to bed hungry! I hear they call it “The Intern 15”? Consequently, some of my first paycheck went towards a valuable 2 month membership at the local LA Fitness – totally worth it!
Since The Intern Challenge ended, it has been a whirlwind of learning and work, work, work… that being the main reason why I am so late to update the blog! The Phoenix interns are in high demand on the projects here in the Southwest. I have worked on three projects in the past two weeks and have already been exposed to different clients, types of projects (both IT and process), and office environments. This past week, I was put on an IT project for an airline company. For those of you who don’t know, I am a process intern and definitely not very IT savvy… therefore, I definitely learned a lot of new things! Although, sometimes I wished I could call upon Renee Beauchamps for some technical expertise. Luckily, everyone on my team was very patient and helpful with my gazillion questions. J I have learned a lot of things that will be useful in work and in life… oh, the wonders of Excel! Not only did I reach new horizons from an IT standpoint, but I also had a lot of fun along the way.
I am currently in the airport, waiting for my flight to Harrisburg, PA where I will be spending the week on a different project for the same airline company. I feel like quite the jetsetter right now seeing as I was sitting at this exact gate just three weeks ago awaiting my flight to Orlando, with no idea what was ahead. That trip certainly exceeded all of my expectations. I’m sure Harrisburg will be different, as far as work is concerned, but I am looking forward to it and I am sure it will exceed all of my expectations, just like The Intern Challenge did. I feel a bit more prepared for what is in store for me this time around and I am looking forward to spending the week with a new team in a different location, on a new project! I am particularly ready for a change of weather; not excited at all for the humidity, but I will be glad to escape the dust storms shown below. I’ll be extending my trip into the weekend to spend some time with family in New Jersey. No, I will not be fist pumping or GTL-ing but maybe I will run into some New York interns during a visit to NYC, or even better some cast members of MTV’s The Jersey Shore… just kidding! I will report back later with all of my East Coast adventures.
Hello everyone! I hope everyone is having as much fun in their first few weeks as we are on the West! Besides all of our new client work, documenting every quote Nick Anastasidhejfejfjad says, and looking up at my 6'7'' buddy, we have also gone on a rocketboat tour of San Francisco, wine tasting, and tomorrow have a Day in the Office followed by a Giants game.
Currently, I am in Sacramento working on two different clients and doing a ton! I have been staying here overnight, so I have learned some of the perks of being a Protiviti consultant. While I am truly enjoying it here, and being accompanied by many cows, I am very excited to come home tonight and go on some adventures with my fellow interns.
Until next time.....
It just dusts. In fact, our state is so deprived of rain water that when it starts storming outside, all we get is lightning...and apparently the most massive dust storm I've ever seen. Seriously, this was like something out of the Sahara Desert...or the movie Armageddon. I personally was on a freeway when this hit, and my visibility was reduced to about three feet in less than five seconds. Not only could no one see, but the dust was so thick that according to local news, it caused the most lung-related emergency room visits in a single night in the state's history. The storm itself lasted for probably about 30 minutes, but the dust and low air quality lingered for hours. When I awoke to go to work the next morning, everything in my apartment complex was covered in half-inch sand dunes. I later learned that estimates placed this monster at 50 miles wide and 2 miles high at its peak. Anybody feel like visiting Arizona?
There are many, many things one must prepare for when considering an internship with Protiviti, many of which we all did not realize until reflecting back upon our experiences in Orlando. I think I speak for the majority of the interns in saying that I have never, ever, experienced anything like that in my entire life. I had a grip of life experiences and found myself in situations I never thought I would be in. Take this photo for example:
I'll let the readers try and figure out why I did this to myself - I feel like your rational will be a lot more entertaining than the real reason, but I digress. In light of those future interns who may read this blog and try to learn from our mistakes, I have composed a simple list of things I gathered from the experience:
- Fountains are dirtier than you might think.
- Spending some time learning the Dougie might actually pay off outside of a party.
- Eating five meals a day is completely okay, as long as two of them consist of breakfast burritos.
- No matter how hard you try, your nicely pressed dress clothes will have to be re-pressed upon arrival at your hotel room.
- Knowing a book is good doesn't always mean you've read it.
- The staff of the Hilton Walt Disney World should probably all be knighted.
- Don't be late - unless you live for public humiliation.
- Epcot is home to the largest fireworks budget in the nation.
- Sleep really is overrated.
Just a few parting words of advice for those travelers who may find themselves down this road - don't expect anything. Keeping an open mind will prepare you for anything that comes your way as well as force you to always make the best of it. The Intern Challenge was one of the best experiences of my life, and not having expectations walking into the hotel on Day 1 only made the whole ordeal that much better. I hope that everyone else took as much away from this event that I did. Given the opportunity, I would very gladly relive every moment.
I am on a plane.
Jet engines are bothering me. Old people are eating crackers. Flight attendants are giving old people more crackers. And babies are doing what babies do.
I am wearing a business casual shirt and business casual pants. My name tag, one that cleverly says “Batman” on the front, still dangles on my neck. My Hilton pen peeks from my front pocket. My wallet contains in its compartments a Hilton key card that once unlocked the secrets of room 501.
The Florida Intern Challenge 2011 has ended.
40 paid hours ago, I was on the same plane, window seat no less. I had no idea where I was headed and what was in store for me. I only knew that Mickey Mouse would be involved somehow. They called it “The Intern Challenge” and they hyped it ever since I applied to the company with three i’s. I contemplated what it would be like to actually-really-legitimately be on training for once in my life; to get paid and be treated like one who is. I contemplated meeting hundreds of people and shaking hundreds of hands. I tried to predict the corny ice-breakers and the mundane munchables they will be passing out. I also wondered if I would be up to par; if I am suitable for this job they call consulting.
The flight attendants are passing peanuts now. I hate peanuts. They make me thirsty. They make me want to ask the flight attendant for more water and that makes me feel awkward for some reason. And while everyone else is munching on their salty edibles, I remember the great happenings of last week:
- I built a hundred relationships, people ranging from MDs to organizers to facilitators to ride-handlers in Disneyworld to a Haitian taxicab driver named Charles. I also made friends with some phenomenal personalities whose names I will remember for one entire month.
- I met people from all over the United States. This is especially important to me since I am a pure-bred international. It is always nifty to say that I made the acquaintance of breathing human beings in Dallas, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Vienna, and Orlando.
- I discovered people who are significantly more creative than me when conjuring up and performing skits and commercials.
- I rekindled my love towards breakfast burritos.
- I broke my previous ironing record by ironing my shirt in 24 seconds flat. And I only burned my finger twice.
- And of course, I learned how to create value for clients by identifying and solving business problems and risks.
The plane is landing and I have arrived at the San Francisco International airport. I pluck my bag off carousel three and chuckle at the thought of a TSA agent searching through my luggage. Well, Mr. Bob the TSA agent, the garments you hastily frisked mean quite a lot to me: I have worn them during the second most interesting week of life, no exaggeration. The first being the glorious week I was born.