From Intern to Innovator - How My First Job Transformed My Life & Career

Guess who left her massive backpack at the office on the day of the interview. 

It’s me! Yes, I was that nervous when I was entering my first job as a marketing intern at Knovik. 

Little did I know that this would be one of my favorite places to be. So, this is for those who are afraid or hesitant to start off their career journey. I want to give a sense of positivity to them.  

Initial Doubts and Fears

When it comes to my digital marketing skills, I knew how to make content, but I wasn’t very keen on how to market them. I came to this job with little to no experience. I didn’t know that much about how a company project is carried out. Having imposter syndrome (which causes constant doubts about your accomplishments) made this situation more challenging. 

Moreover, I wasn’t familiar with the corporate culture and was nervous about making new friends.  

Career Development

We had a training program for marketing interns conducted by Madusanka Premaratne and Ishara Fernando. I was able to learn marketing fundamentals, SEO, Social Media Marketing and many other things. 

Of course, I made a few mistakes here and there while working, but my seniors were very supportive. They didn’t even make me feel as if I made a mistake. I learned a lot of career lessons from these little mistakes.  

Now I am equipped with the skills needed to plan, strategize, and execute a proper marketing campaign: way beyond just making content. How cool is that!? 

One of the most remarkable changes I had is shifting my career goals. For the longest time, I was planning to be a senior marketing specialist. Knovik has this interesting principle where they encourage team members to start something on their own. As time passed, I got inspired to be an entrepreneur. Now I am a dreamer. I want to start my own marketing agency one day.  

If you are curious about how Knovik supports their team members and encourages their growth, check out the LinkedIn page

Furthermore, I got to grasp a clear idea of how the corporate sector works. I was able to learn about work ethics, company culture, and how corporate events are carried out

Psychological Development

The workplace culture at Knovik is very friendly and comfortable. I became friends with my fellow team members very quickly. I started developing a strong bond with them. We are more than just coworkers. This bond helped me grow emotionally. 

Thanks to my team members’ positive reinforcement, I gradually became more confident about myself. Our HR manager, Harini Madusha constantly encourages me to believe in myself. So, I learned how to cope with challenging situations in a healthy manner.  

Unfortunately, most of my peers have had a terrible experience at the beginning of their careers. I am one of the only people who has good first job experience. I realized how our employment journey has a major effect on our mental health. 

Lifestyle Changes

Along with my psychological changes, various lifestyle changes happened within me. I became more disciplined. I learned how to manage my time. My company encourages us to take good care of our physical and mental health. So, I got into a routine where I could fulfil all these aspects.  

As a psychology student, some of the techniques I used to maintain work-life balance are, 

• Work-life Integration: Rather than strictly separating work and personal life, finding the harmony between those two. (Example: scheduling personal activity during a workday) 
• Cognitive Restructuring: Reframing negative or stressful thoughts about work. (Example: Instead of thinking “I have to do everything perfectly.” shift your thoughts to “I’ll do my best to ace this task.”) 
• Mindfulness Mediation: To enhance focus and relaxation. 

My Advice for Those Who are Starting off Their Career

The most important job advice I want to give is: Just go for it! Do step out of your comfort zone. It’s going to be worth it at the end of the day. 

Ready to take your next career step with Knovik? Check out available opportunities and find a workplace that aids your well-being and growth. 

Another important thing is to find a workplace that is willing to take care of you and keep you happy. Because your happiness and passion are what matters the most. When you’re applying, do research into the company’s work culture, work ethics, etc. 

My final advice is to keep believing in yourself. I know it sounds cliche but trust me. You need to have faith in yourself. Take small steps, learn from every experience you face, and reach for new opportunities.  

To wrap it up, I am grateful for all the experiences I’ve had. I came in as a naive student with no experience whatsoever. But now I am an innovator, a dreamer, and a skilled marketeer. 

So yeah, it’s normal to feel afraid to take the first step into your career journey.  But it will pay off. If this article inspired you to do so,  

Congratulations on stepping out of your comfort zone!