Re-found Confidence
Nervous, scared, anxious. Three words that describe how I usually feel right before I start a job. However, going into my first day as the social media intern for ChatterBlast Media, I wasn’t scared, instead I was really excited. I am one of nine interns for ChatterBlast, but my position is very different from the others. I am acting as the middleman for Reading Terminal Market and ChatterBlast. It is my responsibility to make sure that the client (Reading Terminal) is always happy and kept in the loop.
Reading Terminal Market attracts over six million visitors a year and is home to over eighty different merchants. With all of these people it is very easy to get lost in the mix. I realized after the first day that I spent at the market that the only way to succeed in my position was to be comfortable and confident.
The Account Manager at ChatterBlast emphasized the importance of forming relationships with the merchants. One of the neatest things about Reading Terminal is the diverse food and the people that come with it. The business owners range from Pennsylvania Dutch to Korean, and everything in between. The different backgrounds result in communication barriers through which I have to navigate.
After spending the day in The Market and being aware of the challenges that I faced, I was intimidated. I felt like I was bothering the merchants by taking pictures and asking questions. However, once I left and had time to think about my day, I realized that I was not bothering them at all. The businesses want their name out there to attract more customers, and want to take advantage of The Reading Terminal’s social media accounts. After my realization, I gained back my initial confidence and excitement and got over my feelings of doubt. As a result, I have been immersed in everything that The Reading Terminal Market has to offer. I have been learning something new every single day and cannot wait to see where these relationships and this experience take me!
Nora, sounds like a fun internship! Reading Terminal is an exciting place to promote. I can definitely relate with your nerves. Glad you overcame them and didn’t let yourself hold you back.
I can relate to the nerves myself. It took me about a week to settle into my position. When you looked back at your first day at the market, do you think it was your nerves making you think they were annoyed by you, or were the old school Philly attitudes actually present? I think it is awesome that you get to connect with the client firsthand in the habitat. Being able to use new media to promote an older business in Philadelphia seems like a great opportunity. What social accounts do you handle? You say you act as the middleman between ChatterBlast Media and Reading Terminal Market- could you elaborate on the specifics of your responsibilities? Good luck and enjoy the rest of your experience!