By James Lang, Intern at Core Bank
As a student studying business in college, I don’t go a day without my professors mentioning the importance of obtaining one or multiple internships in the corporate world before graduation. For sophomore students such as myself, there is one major problem… very few companies at the business school career fair want to talk to, or hire freshman and sophomore students. This leaves a pocket of young, outgoing individuals, who have the drive and determination to set out to find an internship of their own.
It was this drive that allowed me to find my “summer home” as an SBA Intern at Core Bank.
From the moment I walked into the building for my interview, I could tell Core Bank was different. The suite had modern vibes in regards to the furniture and decor, which blended in seamlessly with the classic elements of a traditional business atmosphere. I didn’t know it at the time, but this mix of modern and classic qualities, is a great representation of why Core Bank stands out against many other banks in Kansas City.
Core Bank is not afraid to adapt with the changes of the younger generation, and they pride themselves on the creation of culture and the team-player atmosphere. This was exactly what I was looking for in an internship.
My First Day
On my first day of the job, I felt like a member of the Core Bank team.
Yes, I was an intern. I had the lowest position in the entire company, but nobody made me feel like I was an insignificant piece of the puzzle. My superiors immediately had high expectations, and I quickly learned what my role was going to be at the bank this summer. I was trained and guided to properly use the finance software necessary to generate financial spreads for our credit analysts. Once I felt comfortable, I was expected to do my job, and do it right.
Starting a new job can be difficult, and learning new material will obviously leave you asking questions.
What made this transition from student to intern easier is when I had a question, I would ask. I was never made to feel unintelligent for asking, but rather appreciated that I wanted to do my job right. The office dynamic is very attractive for a new hire. The atmosphere and people are lively, and there is a high standard of excellence.
It is easy to see that these attitudes foster an office environment where each team member is pushing the next to be better than they were yesterday.
Core Bank gave me a shot as an intern, when many other companies turned their back on me, simply because of my sophomore status.
When I graduate, I hope to find a company that is modern enough to think outside the confinements of traditional banking, but keeps classic business values in their roots. For Core Bank, these two components of modern and classic create a company that’s truly so much more than a bank, and puts the customers, and employees at the Core.