How Chewy’s Internship Prepared Me for the E-Commerce Industry
By Neha Shah, UX Researcher @ Chewy
Going from a college lifestyle to the “real world” can be quite the change. The transition from classes scattered throughout the day, and working all hours of the night, to a structured environment with its own culture can be challenging. But I found an internship was the perfect bridge for me to acclimate myself to the “real world.”
During the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) 2018 career fair, I came across Chewy for the first time. I was waiting for a friend when I decided to approach the Chewy recruiter and handed her a copy of my resume. She told me they were not looking for researchers, but she would keep me in mind. A month later I got a call from Chewy, asking if I’d be interested in an open internship role! After two rounds of phone interviews and three onsite interviews, I was the first ever intern hired by Chewy on the UX Research Team.
Chewy’s internship program was the perfect playground for a newbie to explore how things work in the e-commerce industry. It was a great opportunity to grow and learn. Here are the six ways Chewy’s internship program prepared me for the e-commerce industry:
1. Learning from students across all fields (finance, design, engineering, supply chain, marketing, etc.)
On your first day at an internship, there is something comforting about knowing that you are not alone. At Chewy, we were a group of 24 interns from different colleges, different programs interning for different teams in two different locations (Florida and Boston). Best part about that? We not only had amazing group activities and lots of food, we got to learn from each other’s experiences at various teams across Chewy and build a great professional network.
2. Learning from leadership directly
Every week, we had leaders from different teams share their experience about working in the e-commerce industry and their role at Chewy. During the 10-week internship, we had 10 leaders from 10 different teams come in and share what their team did at Chewy, how they contributed to Chewy’s success and how they overcame challenges. We had a variety of leaders talk to us — including the CEO, Vice Presidents and Directors. These “lunch and learns” were a great way to get a holistic understanding of the workings of a fast-growing e-commerce company and learn how every team functioned and depended on each other.
3. Understanding how to truly put customers first
In the e-commerce industry, customer service is the key to growth. Great customer service not only increases customer loyalty and brand presence, it’s what makes companies stand out in the marketplace. Chewy is known for having an amazing customer service experience. Going over and beyond for customers and keeping customers first is one of Chewy’s core principles. As interns, we had the opportunity to visit Chewy’s Florida office to understand what makes our customer service program so good. We were able to learn directly from the team that was running the entire customer service program. Hearing stories from how the team grew from occupying a small room to an entire building was mind-blowing.
4. UX research in the real world
The e-commerce environment is fast paced with a unique culture. At Chewy, I truly got to learn how to survive this environment and still succeed. We learned a lot of tools and techniques in school for creating great strategies and conducting research. From card sorts to cultural probes, sensory cue workshops to user interviews, my program at SCAD made sure we excelled in each technique.
My first week at Chewy, I was ready to show it all off and follow the process to a T. However, with every project at Chewy, I learned that the Design and Research process is not as linear as we think. Chewy not only taught me how to pick the right method for the task at hand, but also how to work within constraints and resource limitations. Every project I worked on during my time at Chewy allowed me to explore my limits and grow as a researcher.
5. Making lifelong connections
You have probably heard this from an internship blog, career advisor and even professors: internships are a great way to make connections and network. Well, that is very true. Chewy’s internship program allowed us to connect with the leadership directly. My time at Chewy allowed me to develop and cultivate relationships with an army of mentors within the tech sector who I’m still in contact with today. The positive environment at Chewy made for a great place to learn. My favorite part — the team immediately made me feel like I was one of them! From taking me for lunches and making sure I didn’t get lost in Boston, to sharing their experience and knowledge — they were always there.
6. Having a voice
Many interns struggle to be heard and valued. Chewy’s internship program ensures that all the work done by interns is meaningful and has an impact on the company. We had a voice and a place at the table. Among all the projects I worked on during my internship, one of the projects was requested by the CEO. My manager and I worked on it together along with other product managers. I was given the opportunity to present to the CEO directly because of the effort put into it. My work was recognized and appreciated. My questions and solutions were answered and heard. As an intern, that really helped boost up my confidence and made me more enthusiastic about the work I did.
Chewy has grown a lot in the past year — from going public with a strong IPO to expanding the Boston office. The UX Research team grew from a team of two to a team of eight. I came back to Chewy as a full-time employee in September 2019. What changed for me? I have more people to learn from, an excellent team to work with, and a million more opportunities to grow. My experience from an intern to a full-time employee has been a wonderful journey so far.
If you are looking for an internship that not only allows you to implement your skills but gives you a holistic learning experience of the e-commerce industry, begin your journey at Chewy with our amazing internship program!
by Neha Shah
UX Researcher @ Chewy
If you have any questions about careers at Chewy, please visit https://www.chewy.com/jobs
