Intern Profile Series: A Conversation With Sydney Ly

Welcome back to our final Summer 2024 Intern Profile Series. Over the past 10 weeks, we’ve had the chance to meet all our interns and learn the ins-and-outs of their work at J.Jill. We’ve also seen how they’ve contributed to our vision of creating a world where every woman is seen, valued, and celebrated.

In our last summer intern profile, we speak with Sydney Ly, J.Jill’s Human Resources Intern. Sydney is a rising junior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, double majoring in Management with a concentration in Human Resources and Hospitality Tourism Management. Her enthusiasm and commitment to learning make her a promising addition to our team!

J.Jill: Welcome, Sydney! To get started, what initially attracted you to J.Jill?

Sydney: My mother initially attracted me to J.Jill; it was a brand she always shopped at during our mall trips. When I saw the HR internship application this past spring, I looked further into J.Jill as a company and discovered their Compassion Fund. J.Jill specifically worked with Rosie’s Place, a homeless women’s shelter in Boston. When I was younger, my mother volunteered there and spoke highly of all the amazing work they did. When I saw that, I knew I had to apply and was elated when I got the offer!

What I love most about being here is the people and my colleagues. After two months, I can say they are incredibly welcoming and want me to make the most of this summer. They’ve involved me in various projects and provided endless opportunities to learn about different parts of Human Resources and the many departments they support.

J.Jill: We are so excited to have you here this summer, Sydney. Can you describe a typical day in the life of a Human Resources Intern?

Sydney: HR is always evolving, so there’s no typical day. But I usually start my day by checking emails, responding to people, and writing a to-do list. My manager and I then touch base and discuss the day’s plans and current projects. I also work closely with team members such as David, our HR Business Partner, and Amelia, our Corporate Communications Manager. Sometimes, I’m involved in meetings for other departments, which is always fun!

J.Jill: That sounds exciting! Are there any projects you’re particularly excited about during your time at J.Jill?

Sydney: I just finished my main department-specific project on employee engagement surveys. I researched best practices and explored new options for gathering employee feedback. Coming into this internship, I didn’t know much about Human Resources, so this was a great HR-specific project to work on, as many companies send out annual or biannual engagement surveys to their associates to “check in”. I also write our Summer Intern Profile series on LinkedIn! I love writing and am grateful for the chance to interview my fellow interns and write the posts for that. When I’m not working on those tasks, I am involved in the cross-functional intern project. The other interns and I have been working on it throughout our time here and are thrilled to present it!

I always hear stories about how interns are often cast aside and given busy, meaningless work, but since starting here, there hasn’t been a moment where I was not engaged and doing something! Everyone really makes sure that what I am working on is meaningful.

J.Jill: We are so glad that you’re enjoying your time here and getting to work on a variety of tasks! Is there anyone at J.Jill that inspires you?

Sydney: Someone who inspires me at J.Jill is my manager, Lisa Francis. She is genuine and compassionate—just truly amazing! She is someone I look up to greatly here at J.Jill. Throughout my past few months here, Lisa has really taken me under her wing and has taught me so much, from navigating a professional setting to explaining HR-related topics and offering tips on presenting. She is someone I can talk to about anything and bounce my ideas off while also getting great constructive feedback.

I also want to highlight how amazing the HR team is! They are some of the kindest, most relatable, and hardworking people I’ve met at J.Jill. They really care about our associates. I can proudly say that I feel like I am a part of their little family; their successes are mine, and vice versa!

J.Jill: That’s so wonderful to hear! Can you describe how you have grown professionally since you have started working here?

Sydney: Coming into this, I didn’t have a lot of experience working in a business professional setting where I had real-life, hands-on projects to work on. Learning how to navigate a corporate setting was completely new to me. I am so grateful for Lisa and everyone else on the HR team; without them, I would be so lost.

I would also say that my communication skills have improved. This is the first time I’ve ever had to communicate and work with such a diverse group of people from various areas of the business. Learning how to communicate efficiently and effectively was something I had to pick up quickly.

J.Jill: We are thrilled to hear about your growth and the meaningful work you’ve been involved in! Having good mentors can be hard to come by, so we’re glad that you have an amazing team to support you. Can you share the best piece of career advice you have received?

Sydney: The best piece of advice I have ever received was from a podcast I was listening to, and the host said something amongst the lines of “you need to sow it to grow it”. He described how he took a risk by planting older seeds, and while some didn’t germinate, the experience highlighted a crucial lesson: achieving something often requires taking risks and investing effort and resources. Sometimes the results may not be immediate, but other times they can lead to significant growth.

This idea particularly translates to networking and trying new things. I sometimes get caught up in overthinking and hesitate to pursue things, but this reminder encourages me to keep pushing forward. By continuing to invest time and effort, I open up the possibility for unexpected and rewarding outcomes. You never know what might flourish from your efforts.

For getting into my line of work, I would tell someone the following: try to learn as much as you can about HR, as it is a vast and diverse field. There are truly endless opportunities to learn and grow. With that said, there will be things you don’t know, so when you have the opportunity to learn or work on something new, jump on it and ask questions! Don’t be afraid to ask “dumb” questions because there are no silly questions. If you’re wondering or confused, someone else will most likely be in the same boat as you.

Thank you for sharing your advice with us! Curiosity and a willingness to learn are key in such a diverse field as HR.

Thank you again, Sydney, for the insightful conversation! Later this week, we will be wrapping up our summer 2024 internship program by sharing insight into their final project and farewells.