summer internships

Interns: The Most Ambitious Entrepreneurs

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Our 2013 Classroom to Career internship program has come to a close, leaving us at Dardis more impressed than ever by these talented individuals.  Looking back on this past summer, we witnessed our interns progress from our Dardis Academy training program right to potential buyers’ homes and office buildings, making sales and learning valuable lessons along the way.  They persevered through our rigorous program, even though many of them didn’t even have any prior sales experience!

Congratulations to all of our interns, who we know will enter the working world post-college with unmatched work experience.  We would especially like to honor our top three selling interns, Patrick Gibbs, Elliot Salter and Justin Blackburn.  In last week’s blog post, Patrick described the many benefits of his Dardis internship, and Justin Blackburn echoed his responses.

“You learn a lot of very useful things that you will be able to use down the road in your career,” Justin said.  “It will also look very good on a resume and is a great experience for anyone going into the business world.”

He cited his sale of 42 polos to the athletic director at his high school as his most successful moment, which we previously highlighted on this blog.

Another top seller, Elliot Salter, recalled a sale that he never expected.  He drove two hours to meet with a client and ask for tips solely on his sales pitch, but the meeting led to a large sale late in the summer.

“This summer internship was a terrific opportunity to not only make money and show my employers what I can achieve, but I was able to prove to myself that with hard work and organization, I can really be successful in what I put my effort into,” Elliot said.

A 2013 LinkedIn intern contributed an insightful post to the company’s blog in early August calling interns promising entrepreneurs, diligently working to get people to invest in their careers.  We agree that interns have the unique opportunity to not only receive important professional experiences but also make connections that can make a difference in their future careers.

So how can interns be successful entrepreneurs?  Take this advice from LinkedIn intern Courtney Sanford:

  1. Be innovative:  Take advantage of what makes you unique and don’t try to fill the same roles as your full-time co-workers.
  2. Build a brand:  Social networks provide a great opportunity to build your personal brand, and great entrepreneurs know the importance of managing their online identity.
  3. Impact your company:  Regardless of the size of your company, make sure you add value and are able to make an impact with your projects.
  4. Adapt:  Use your internship as an opportunity to learn new skills and test out your knowledge.
  5. Be a serial entrepreneur:  I can’t emphasize enough how valuable it is to have multiple
    internships that give you varied experiences, perspectives, and skills.

At Dardis Academy, we recognize the importance of real work experience and meaningful internships.  There are numerous student benefits for our Classroom to Career internship program, so as we ramp up for our 2014 program, please consider recommending Dardis Academy to a young entrepreneur in your life.

Photo credit: http://www.zazoomvideo.com/

“Real life. Real world. Real business experience.”

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Our 2013 class of interns begin their summer with us this week kicking off another year of our Classroom to Career program. Our program is made up of some of the most hard working, talented and motivated college and high school students in the nation, and their work begins long before the school year even ends.

In the spring, Student Managers work with students to identify and qualify a targeted list of 75 leads.  Students and Managers review their prospect lists, refine their skills on gaining referrals, confirm their territory and schedule and prepare for a busy summer.

Students then complete our very own training program, Dardis Sales Academy, before returning to their hometowns to put their training into action by selling our quality menswear in their local communities.

Our interns are trained on practical job skills like how to manage their schedule, approach prospective customers, demonstrate professional communication skills, deliver an impressive presentation highlighting our products, ask for the business and gain referrals.  Our clients appreciate and recognize the quality of interns and look to them to share information on professional image and wardrobe management.

Our clients benefit firsthand from our Classroom to Career program, but the students take away much more from the experience.

The summer was unbelievable. The experience you gain, not only at the Sales Academy, but also being out in the field as a representative, is so beneficial. Meeting with clients at their office or home, face-to-face, and delivering a product that you’re confident in, is the best experience you can get. Learning the skills in the Academy, then seeing success as a result, is huge! Not only for a confidence booster, but also for paving the way for the rest of my career. This is the real thing. Real life. Real world. Real business experience. If you’re looking to get out in the field and gain hands-on experience and knowledge, this is the opportunity for you.”
– Ben Brandsgard, 2012 Student Representative

Our Classroom to Career program opens doors, not just for future internships but for future career opportunities. We provide the professional skills and training that the business leaders of tomorrow need. Connect with one of our experienced clothiers today to see the Dardis difference for yourself.

Contact Dardis today to learn more. Contact Us