From Restaurant Server to 61st Floor: My Internship at Salesforce
Like many other people in their 20s, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I felt lost.
I was working at a local family-owned restaurant for over 40 hours a week. Being on my feet for long periods of time, dealing with rude and angry customers, and barely spending time at home. It all took a huge toll on my mental health. I started dreading going to work. I knew I wanted better for myself; working in a restaurant was not for me.
As if the universe knew I needed a change — I spoke with a friend who had just completed a program called Year Up. He told me it was an intensive, year-long program that teaches you the skills necessary to land a job in the tech industry — and it was 100% tuition-free (plus a stipend!) for students. The program even included internship placement.
I thought to myself, “There’s no way this program is tuition-free and they pay you to go to school. This is too good to be true.” But when I did my research, I found endless YouTube videos of Year Up alumni expressing how this opportunity helped them get their foot in the door. I decided I’d go ahead and apply. I had nothing to lose — I felt like I was running out of options.
Too Good to Be True — or Perfect Timing?
A week later, I received an email from Year Up. They’d reviewed my application and I was chosen for an interview. Celissia, my interviewer, asked me a few questions: My interests, my volunteer work, fun facts, etc. I felt anxious, but at the same time, felt I had done a good job. Late July came around and I received another email — this time it was my acceptance letter. I immediately jumped with excitement: This meant a new chapter in my life was going to begin.
I officially started Year Up in early August 2021. During the first six months of the program, I took college courses like Introduction to Project Management, Business Ethics, Excel, and Business Communications to prepare me for an internship. I stayed dedicated throughout the program despite anything that was going on in my personal life.
The first six months of the program flew by, and before I knew it, I was about to find out which company I would intern with. I expressed how much I wanted the internship at Salesforce. I heard nothing but good things about the company. Every time I drove into San Francisco, I looked over the skyline and thought to myself, “How cool would it be if I got the chance to see the 61st floor in Salesforce Tower?”
The day had finally come and we had a virtual event where the Year Up staff played a PowerPoint announcing our internship companies. All my classmates clapped for each other as we went through the presentation. I anxiously awaited my turn.
I saw my name at the top of the slide as the words interning at Salesforce as a Research Operations Program Manager faded onto the screen. I was filled with excitement and ran over to my parents to tell them the news.
My mom immediately said, “We’re so proud of you — it was your dream company and you got it!” It was a great feeling.
So… What Is Research Operations?
I wasn’t exactly sure what Research Operations was, but I was looking forward to my first day. I quickly met with my manager — she was warm and welcoming! She gave me insight into the company and the team, and I expressed my excitement and eagerness to learn.
In my first week at Salesforce, I met with my teammates to ask about their roles and professional journeys. Most of my teammates were working remotely across the United States — but I even had teammates from India, which I thought was so neat. They made me feel like part of the team and let me know I could come to them with any questions I may have. I could even shadow them if I was interested.
Cleaning Up Data
I received my first project shortly after my first day. My manager told me I’d be cleansing data from the team’s research library, which is a database that stores all the material — decks, reports, whitepapers — the research team produces. It sounded so fancy!
I had no clue what to expect and was scared to mess something up. My manager reassured me that I’d do a great job and provided me with detailed, step-by-step instructions. I was very perplexed as I scrolled through the Google Sheet — I didn’t know what many of these words meant — but after reading her instructions and doing it for a few hours, I started to understand it. I never thought I’d like cleansing and analyzing data. I worked on this project for a few weeks, learning the different types of research studies and their purposes, along with Salesforce’s products.
Volunteering for All
My next big task was planning my team’s volunteer activities. Salesforce gives each of its employees 56 hours of paid volunteer time off; this is a big part of Salesforce’s culture of giving back to local communities and non-profit organizations. I wasn’t quite sure how to plan these or even where to begin. Another one of my teammates was a tremendous help; she helped me host the first session as I was nervous to do it myself.
After organizing this first activity, I had a better understanding of how to plan and present the next one. In total, I hosted three volunteer activities. Thanks to my work developing these sessions, I saw my planning and organization skills progress. I enjoyed coming up with ideas and volunteering my time for these non-profit organizations. It felt good to give back and this is one of the many reasons I love Salesforce.
Recruiting Time
Soon, a participant recruiter on my team reached out with an opportunity to shadow her. She walked me through the process of recruiting for research studies. We had a kick-off meeting with a researcher where she described her ideal participants and her study’s desired outcome. Then, she walked me through the Salesforce database and eventually let me schedule participants for a study.
Another participant recruiter on my team reached out to me with an opportunity to shadow her during her legal and compliance office hours. These experiences helped me realize that research operations are truly the backbone of the research department, which powers innovation and product decisions across Salesforce.
I built friendships and soon started going into the Salesforce Tower. Together, me and my colleague watched a research operations conference, grabbed lunch, and she answered any questions I had. She set up calls with participant recruiters at other companies that I could network with. There, my knowledge of the role grew rapidly. I watched videos on LinkedIn learning about UX research, screeners and surveys, and participant recruiting in general. It felt good to find something that would interest me throughout my internship.
Reflection
As I wrap up my internship, I reflect on my time here. I truly gained a tremendous amount of knowledge, and my professional growth has just begun. This experience has exceeded my expectations. I started out knowing little to nothing about research operations. Now I can confidently say I know how the team works, why research is so important for companies like Salesforce, the steps to recruiting research participants, how to work with data, and so much more.
I felt this work was such a good fit for me since I came from a customer service background. I was very accustomed to interacting with people; now I know how to do so with a research lens. And on one of my last days of my internship as I take in the view from the 61st floor of the Salesforce Tower, something that was just a wishful thought not so many months ago — realizing that I can truly achieve any of my dreams.
Thank yous
I would like to express my gratitude to my manager, Ashley Behm. She always ensured I felt comfortable with the tasks assigned to me and answered my questions. She provided me with feedback that allowed me to improve my work and performance. I am so grateful for her support and guidance throughout my time at Salesforce.
Thank you to Erika Trageser and Chris Standberry for the infinite support and knowledge they instilled in me. They both took me under their wings, answered any questions I had, and set me up for success. For that, I am truly grateful.
Thank you to my mentor Lisa Church. Since day one your positivity has rubbed off on me. You’ve provided me with the help and resources I needed during my time here.
Thank you to the rest of the Research Operations team for being so welcoming and believing in me. It has been a pleasure working with you and I will genuinely miss each and every one of you. This is a bittersweet moment since I genuinely wanted to stay at Salesforce — but I am excited to see where this new path takes me. I hope to come back to Salesforce one day.
