Being a CDK Intern in a COVID-19 World

The day I learned I got the Product Marketing Intern spot at CDK, was the same day my university announced it would be closing for the rest of the year due to Covid-19.  It would the first of many surprises, on what was to be an incredible journey!  Thankfully, Texas Tech University prepared me for a virtual position due to the transition to online classes and having to learn to manage my time properly and to be responsible enough to complete my work outside of a classroom setting. 

Being Part of CDK Global and Fortellis

Being a part of the CDK Global/ Fortellis team this summer has not only led me to be more a self-sufficient and independent young professional, but it has allowed me to prosper in a position that was initially out of my comfort zone in the marketing industry. I was extremely humbled when I realized the amount of hard work ethic, time management, industry knowledge, and interpersonal skills it takes to perform professionally in a high demand work environment. 

Entering into my senior year, I needed to gain more real-world experience in marketing opportunities to attest I was on the career path best suited for me. While LinkedIn is an incredible networking platform, I did some personal networking through a family friend who is the Sr. Director for Product Engineering at CDK. After discussing a potential internship position through him, I was set up for a series of phone interviews. 

The first interview consisted of sharing a little about who I am, what I do, and what my skills and interests are. My next interview was with Leigh Ann Conver , Sr. Director of Product Marketing, for the role of Product Marketing Intern. In this Interview, we discussed how my skill sets were applicable for the position I would be assigned to, what the CDK/Fortellis team would be working on and the contributions to be made in order to be successful in this position.

People and Culture Make All the Difference 

CDK Global provided a cohesive, inclusive and educational internship program for us, with plenty of opportunities to engage with senior leadership and other interns. They supplied us with our personal CDK Laptops, CDK merchandise, and then came the best part.  Molly and Sammie set us up for success, arranging a special Leadership Learning Series with CDK leadership who share their testimonies about their career paths, gave advice on how to strive for success and answered any question we had. We were also given the opportunity to participate in the Green Light for Girls program, creating and presenting automotive inspired experiments to the younger generations on STEM careers. 

The entire CDK team has truly made me feel so comfortable with being myself in a productive learning environment and has given me the confidence I needed going forward in my professional career. The company culture at CDK really is like no other.

Who Knew Mentors Could Be So Much Fun?

This summer, my mentor Sachin Benny and I have been working closely on the various projects assigned to me, which include: Market Research/Internal Communication for DDA API, CDK API website design and launch, and creating a multitude of landing pages to communicate the launch of APIs on Fortellis. These projects perfectly aligned with my skill set and interests along with my previous experience in creating websites for small business. This brought a whole new interest and motivation to my position and has inspired me to expand my creative field in design.

Along with using strategic planning in order to be resourceful internally for the CDK/ Fortellis team. Sachin has provided me with a vast amount of reading material regarding industry knowledge. More importantly, he has provided personal and professional feedback on the projects to further help me understand this industry along with learning how to excel in a corporate environment. 

What I learned This Summer Will Last a Lifetime

My experience with CDK Global / Fortellis has given me the confidence to know that I have the capability to be an equal contributor in a global company. With the growth of my interpersonal and time management skills, I am excited to continue to prosper and learn with the support of my team and group of interns for the duration of my time here. As graduation nears, I aspire to continue my career path with such an incredible company and am eager to continue learning more each and every day, while looking ahead with anticipation towards an exciting path ahead.