My internship experience started with rejection. At the start, I felt unconfident in navigating the Dutch job market. I hadn’t had much prior job experience, had no Bachelor’s degree (yet), and had just come out of burnout. Towards the end of February, however, my luck began to change. I had applied in response to a marketing internship posting from Harman, knowing that while I fit all the listed job descriptions, I lacked the essential language criteria (Dutch). But, of course – I had applied regardless. Shortly after, I received both good and bad news: they wanted to set up a meeting and asked whether I spoke Dutch (which I did not).
At this statement, I stood conflicted. I could only respond that I’m not a fluent speaker; however, this would mean that my application would be disregarded – I would be rejected nonetheless. So I instead replied: “Thank you for considering my application. I am not fluent in Dutch; however, I would like to ask whether this might be an issue during my internship? While I can learn the language if needed, I am a very keen learner and very passionate about this role, and I believe that I have many other qualities that I can bring to the organisation and position.”
Bold, I know. An hour later, I was met with a rejection of my application. While I was disappointed, this didn’t last long. The next day I received a call from the same talent scout who had rejected me, asking me to come to the follow-up interview regardless because they didn’t want to let go of a good candidate. After five months at Harman, you can imagine what my reply was at the time.
This opportunity arose because I had said no to rejection. But, then, my internship experience would be different to what it is now – and what an experience it has been. After starting in mid-March of 2022, it’s safe to say there had never been a moment when I was not learning something new. Not only did I learn from my responsibilities within Harman, but I also learned from the experiences of colleagues, who guided and shaped my outlook on professional frontiers and personal aspirations. My manager encouraged me to explore, take on interests and converse with people to understand more about where my interest in marketing lay. As a result, I was genuinely heard, my opinions mattered, and I was able to grow within a work culture that embodied a healthy, work hard, play hard mindset.
As for my research on brand love, it coincidentally worked out that my research interest was aligned with that of Harman’s, and I was able to carry out research that will be able to practically aid the organisation and our upcoming projects within the marketing department.
Now, I will be working at Harman for another year in a similar position where I can integrate the skills I have learnt in communication science and the practical skills acquired over the last year into my new position as Marketing Coordinator of Benelux. If there is anything to learn from my experience, it is that you shouldn’t stop and get dishearted by rejection. While it may sting initially, having a belief and understanding in your abilities and professional skill set is critical in opening and closing doors to your professional career.
In line with JBL’s slogan “Dare to Listen”, I’m glad I dared to say no to no.