The Spotlight is on Univ. of Florida’s Retail Management Internships (part three)

Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared students’ internship experiences, from University of Florida’s David F. Miller Center for Retailing Education and Research program. Part one highlighted students who interned for Toys “R” Us, Brown Shoe Company, Beall’s Department Stores, Firestone Complete Auto Care and Winn-Dixie. Part two featured students who interned for JC Penney, Macy’s, Target, Walgreens and Dillard’s.

“If you are thinking of retailing for a career, look no further!”

We’ve got more great stories to share! This last feature covers students who worked for Sears, Mattress Firm, Tires Plus and Build-A-Bear Workshop. The below excerpts are taken from the university’s newsletter The Retail NaviGator.

Student: Allen Jackson

Interned at: Sears (an NRFF Partner Company)

What I Did: I had the opportunity to work in every department the store had to offer which provided new and unique challenges every day. I worked directly with store managers to help implement new policies and processes. I even had the opportunity to travel to Chicago to interact with high-ranking senior executives including the CEO… I also had the opportunity to present both a competitive and operational analysis. The competitive analysis afforded me the opportunity to gauge my store’s competitiveness within the retail market. Looking both internally and externally, I analyzed the electronics department strengths and weaknesses. With the operational analysis, I had an opportunity to make a difference in the operational effectiveness of the loss prevention department which helped improve both customer service and operational efficiency.

What I Learned: In addition to the general management skills I acquired, I learned the importance of associate relations. I learned the importance of inspiring and motivating associates so they can grow alongside the company. One thing that sets Sears apart from other companies is that they reward those who work hard. An associate who grows alongside the company can literally work their way up to management in a few years.

In Closing: Contrary to popular belief, there is much more to retail then simply buying and selling of merchandise. The entire store works as a cohesive unit in an effort to serve the customer as efficiently as possible. Read the full recap…

Student: Brittany McLaughlin

Interned at: Mattress Firm

What I Did: I trained for five weeks in the stores. In my sixth week of training, I went to Houston, Texas, and trained in their corporate office… Mattress Firm moved me through several different stores during my internship. I even had the opportunity to work as a store manager. While doing this, I gained confidence in my selling and customer service skills. I felt supported throughout the experience.

What I Learned: At Mattress Firm, training varies almost daily. My district manager took a serious interest in me and took me on field trips so I could better understand our advertising and how other retailers compete. I often shared lunch with other area managers to understand more clearly how Mattress Firm works to offer excellent customer service and how the company takes excellent care of all associates.

In Closing: My summer with them has led me to love retail even more. I have huge respect for specialty retailers and how the relationship with the customer is so important. If you are thinking of retailing for a career, look no further! Read the full recap…

Student: Jackie Phanamath

Interned at: Tires Plus

What I Did: I was given more responsibility then I expected in this internship. My manager taught me how to run a store and manage a team. This is incomparable to any experience I could have imagined. I was given full control of the store when it came to marketing and daily operations. I especially enjoyed the entrepreneurial spirit of the company. It was satisfying to see that I could implement changes within the store and see the outcome of my decisions.

What I Learned: I expected my internship with this company to be very challenging because I did not know a single thing about automobiles… Vehicles are a huge investment in people’s lives, so it is important to have knowledge about them. I was teamed up with a master mechanic who taught me what I needed to know to help out customers. With him by my side, I was able to understand the workings of an engine. I performed oil changes, mounted tires and completed test drives. I took this very seriously and worked hard to earn the trust from associates and customers.

In Closing: I learned about my strengths and weaknesses thanks to the real world business experience. Tires Plus helped me fine tune my skills and prepared me for my career. Read the full recap…

Student: Multiple Students

Interned at: Build-A-Bear Workshop

What They Did: As interns for Build-A-Bear Workshop, we focused on promotional events to help drive sales. About every two weeks, Build-A-Bear introduces, or “launches,” a new animal to its wide selection of furry friends. Our job as interns consisted of finding ways to promote these new animal launches to provide our guests with a fun introduction to the new animal as well as to increase our store traffic and sales of the animal. For every new launch we planned, organized and executed, a theme party was held about the specific animal.

What They Learned: With our combined creative spirits, we were able to keep our projects interesting while learning how to work together effectively. We learned the value of teamwork, effort, leadership and communication. Beyond just events and projects, our combined internships at Build-A-Bear allowed us to embrace our inner child to truly make each new animal launch exciting and special.

In Closing: Our internship was a positive, rewarding and practical experience that will undoubtedly inspire our future retail endeavors. Read the full recap…

“…There is much more to retail then simply buying and selling of merchandise.”

Through their internships, University of Florida students were able to see the diversity of career opportunities in retail. Inevitably, they gained a new respect for the importance of sales and good customer service, but they were also exposed to the business side of retail — creating marketing promotions, offering operational analysis and developing crucial management skills.

Great job UF students! We hope that after graduation, you’ll report back and let us know if any lucky retailers hired you!