Contrary to how they’re typically depicted in the media (e.g. The Devil Wears Prada, Eurotrip, etc.), internships aren’t about fetching coffee, taking heat from your boss or hours of filing in a dark basement somewhere.
Instead, they’re an excellent opportunity to:
- Build new skills
- Create lasting career networks
- Get real hands-on experience
- Glimpse what your chosen career is really like on a day to day basis.
At Bundl, we take the internship experience even further by giving our trainees the encouragement, space and opportunity to showcase their ideas and creativity on real projects. Under the guidance of your assigned mentor, you’ll learn all about Bundl’s take on entrepreneurship, get the chance to show us what you're capable of and get recognised for the value you can bring to each project.
We currently have over 15 interns from all over the world, specialising in design, growth hacking, marketing, and venture analysis - all working alongside our seasoned venture builders to create next-level corporate ventures.
Perhaps the best way to show you what a Bundl internship is like is to let you hear about it from the trainees themselves (who, by the way, all got student contracts because of their stellar work):
We asked each of them a few questions about their time at Bundl, and here’s what they had to say.
Q: What was the highlight of your internship?
Eva: I worked on a project team with four other people, and since they all had different specialisations, I got a first-hand look at how they each contribute to the project. For example, I had no previous experience in marketing, but from working alongside an experienced marketeer, I learned how to use tools like Hotjar to track user behaviour on a website.
The internship really gave me the opportunity to be involved in different parts of building a venture, which is great if you’re trying to figure out what you like the most. As a Master student in Product Design, I enjoyed learning more about the economic side of things, which is, of course, a big part of building ventures at Bundl.
Besides all that, it was nice to be part of the enthusiasm and warmth of the Bundl Family. During my first week, I got to be part of a cosy Funky Friday celebration where we all got together around the fire and got to know each other. Normally, Funky Friday celebrations are company-wide, but on this occasion, it was kept small due to Covid-19.
Sara: One of the best aspects of my internship was the amazing support I got from the entire Bundl family. The atmosphere at the office really makes you feel at home, so you’re not afraid to be yourself and can perform your job without hesitations, fear of making mistakes or holding yourself back.
Another great highlight for me was that I was treated like part of the team straight away. I had the opportunity to take on bigger tasks by myself (with help whenever I needed it, of course). This made me feel like an actual employee inside Bundl and not just like an intern. The experience enabled me to learn more about the strategic side of the business - which is not as present in my current studies in product development.
Eline: One of the most pleasant aspects of my internship was being a full member of a big team of people with different backgrounds and skillsets. As a Product Development student, I’m used to working in teams for school, but only with people who follow the same study as me.
When working in a mixed team, you have the advantage of being exposed to people with different visions. This encourages you to learn a lot from each other.
Another big opportunity during my ten-week internship was getting to sit in on an actual investor pitch. These meetings are incredibly decisive to the success of the project.
Q: What have you learned about entrepreneurship that you didn’t know before?
Eva: There is no one set of steps you can follow that will fit every track. Building ventures for enterprises involves several key factors that can’t be learned only in theory. You need to get that real, hands-on experience. Each new case will still be different, but the fun thing about it is that you’ll get new challenges every time, and things will never get monotonous.
Sara: Because of the unique experience I had at Bundl, I can truly say I learned a great deal about entrepreneurship. I worked on several different early corporate venture tracks and saw how each one required a unique approach and strategy.
Working in these tracks allowed me to think outside the box and learn about how new ventures are created and how they’re managed in the business world. It has made me hungry for more and even got me thinking about building my own start-up in the future.
Eline: During my internship, I participated in different conversations with possible partners to see which one was the best fit for our project. Something important I learned from these conversations is that they want to land you as a client, which gives you some leverage. Being open about the fact that you’re looking at other vendors enables you to ask for perks and special offers. Negotiations like these rarely come up in class.
Q: Who was your mentor, and what’s the one lesson you learned from them that you’ll never forget?
Eva: My mentor was Christian De Catelle, and what I learned from him was how to communicate with clients more effectively. It’s all about being honest and direct about where they stand but not saying it in a negative or harsh way. Of course, you can't hide the facts, but the way you say things is important. So after a meeting with a client, Cristian gave me some valuable feedback on what I said and how I could say it differently next time. He also gave me a lot of helpful guidance on written communication with clients.
Sara: My mentor was Arthur Le Boudec, and what I learned from him is how to set up new strategies for different tracks and the best way to communicate them to the clients. To get your client on board, you have to build a solid pitch. Thanks to Arthur, I got to set up new pilot ideas and even put together my own pitches. I think this will be a very useful skill for the future!
Eline: Thomas Brady was my mentor, and he did an amazing job at teaching me how to build long-term relationships with clients. Before my internship at Bundl, I was not aware of how a conversation with clients should go. Thomas always tries to get to know the clients more by making a joke from time to time or talking about something unrelated to work. This makes working together more pleasant for both parties. It also ensures that you’re always aligned with the clients.
Q: What advice would you give future interns on getting the most out of their Bundl experience?
Eva: If you’re ever interested in following a particular work session or meeting, just ask your mentor about it. Always communicate about the things that interest you. Even if it’s not possible at that time, at least your mentor will know what you’re interested in and take it into account during the course of your internship.
If you get the chance to go to some of the organised activities, go for it and get to know the team! I find it a shame that I didn’t get the opportunity to speak to everyone at Bundl due to the pandemic. Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask questions; the team is very kind and open to help whenever they can.
Sara: Don’t be afraid to ask around for help or advice! The team is very helpful and supportive, and asking for help will give you the chance to get to know them all better. The Bundl activities are also a great way to get to know everyone while having a whole lot of fun. I always look forward to getting a notification from Allyson Sleeckx for the next activity.
Last but not least, don’t be afraid to share your thoughts or work out your ideas. Everyone at Bundl is always eager to know what you’re thinking and what strategies you’ve thought up. I pitched many of my own ideas to the clients, and even though they didn’t always get chosen, it was a great way to learn more.
Eline: My biggest piece of advice is to be proactive! Some days, you might experience a tight schedule, but you’ll have some gaps in your agenda on others. When you have free time, try to fill it with useful things. For example, you can gain a deeper understanding of any given project by checking out things that other team members created for the project, searching for smaller tasks you can take on or just ask where you can help. Don’t wait for someone to reach out to you; instead, try to think about where you can add the most value. Once you’ve figured out what you like and know where you can excel, you can propose to take on more of those tasks yourself.
Lastly, when working in a team, everyone’s opinion counts, including those of interns, so try to be active in conversations, share your thoughts and pitch your good ideas.
Come join the Bundl family!
At Bundl, we strive to make your internship experience one that you’ll remember forever. Our goal is to provide our interns with the best the Bundl culture has to offer, which combines a hands-on approach with an environment that fosters creativity, innovation, diversity and entrepreneurship. We also have tons of fun in the process, with plenty of organised company-wide events to share some downtime with the team.
In fact, when we refer to ourselves as the Bundl family, we mean it! Many of our valued designers, venture analysts and content creators started off as interns and loved the experience so much, they’re still with us today. So if you love being challenged, taking ownership and taking your skillset to ever greater heights, look no further. You’ve found your tribe.
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Are you looking for the opportunity to showcase your genius and entrepreneurial spirit? Then, check out our open internship positions. We can’t wait to meet you!