#LifeAtSunExpress As An Employer Branding Intern: My Summer Internship Experience
Zeynep Nisa Acikgoz
Student at Bo?azi?i University | Translator and Conference Interpreter
As you might know, I spent this summer working as an Employer Branding Intern at SunExpress and reflecting on the past few months, I’m filled with gratitude for this incredible opportunity I had. And since I've gained some following on LinkedIn through this internship, I thought it's only right to give you the full scope of my internship experience.
My introduction to SunExpress
From the moment I joined SunExpress, I was welcomed with open arms into a supportive environment where I was valued as a team member and encouraged to contribute to tasks, participate in discussions, and take initiative. In every project and task we undertook, I felt the sincerity and ambition of my colleagues who did their best to include me in their team while teaching me the necessities of our work. My anxieties dissipated quickly as I realized I would be working alongside people who wouldn't judge but rather support and cherish me and my contributions, and after a week or two, I was already working on important projects.
I... didn't know what employer branding was. Luckily I know now, and you should too!
Before my internship at SunExpress, I had no idea what employer branding meant. I remember seeing which team I was assigned in the acceptance e-mail from SunExpress and going "Huh? What even is that?" Soon enough, I was informed about employer branding and our responsibilities as the employer branding team, and I realized the importance of our field.
For those of you that don't know, employer branding, in short, is the process of managing and influencing your reputation as an employer among employees and job seekers. It’s about advertising the company’s values, culture, and opportunities in a way that attracts and retains top talent.
Here is a short essay I wrote about the significance of Employee Value Proposition (EVP), which is an essential component of employer branding, during my internship:
Friendships gained, memories made, tasks completed...
Throughout these two months, I've come a long way socially and career-wise and become a different person. I participated in projects, learned about the aviation industry, met a lot of new people, attended meetings within HR and with different companies, went on business trips, and gained experience that has shaped my professional skills and personal growth.
One of the highlights of my internship was helping with the organization of the final stage of SunExpress' FLY Talent Program, where new graduates within the last two years are offered the opportunity to be hired. This experience allowed me to learn further about talent assessment and recruitment processes.
I have had many eventful days where I learned a lot, but the day I participated in the content creation and creative writing training with my team was one of the most memorable ones. I have always been interested in writing and creating content, and I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity to exercise these skills than my internship at SunExpress. Thanks to this productive training session, I now know the key to creating captivating content, and most importantly, I am more confident in the content I create.
领英推荐
And of course, I made a lot of memories with my team on the two business trips we went. First, we visited SunExpress' base in ?zmir where I saw SunExpress' technic building and had a tour of a Boeing 737 plane. This trip was the start of my love for aviation, and now I am hyperfixated on all kinds of planes and basically anything aviation related.
Soon after, we went to Germany to visit SunExpress' Frankfurt office. I am currently taking German courses, and I aspire to have full professional proficiency in German, so this Frankfurt trip was a great opportunity for me to practice my Deutschkenntnisse.
I have given many presentations and speeches during my internship, including when I presented one of our employer branding projects to the entire human resources team of SunExpress. But the one time I will never forget is the 100s Club Next Step Talks event, where I explained the job and internship opportunities at SunExpress to hundreds of aspiring young professionals! Public speaking is something I enjoy and want to improve upon—and to be frank, I have quite the stage fright—so I am truly glad and grateful that I had the chance to attend this live stream as a guest.
Reached together, to new heights! Now off to new beginnings...
Finally, my journey at SunExpress has come to an end. Time flies, right? Although my internship is now over, I will always carry the lessons, memories, and connections SunExpress has given me as I move forward.
And I'm out! See you in the next chapter of my career!
-Zeynep
Student:in, Bah?e?ehir üniversitesi | Game Designer | Sound Designer
2 个月Proud of you!
Employer Branding Leader of SunExpress Airlines | HR Communication & Marketing, Career Events, Employee Experience
2 个月Next time if I need an intern, I will only use this essay, no need for any job ad or personel post. ??
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Employer Branding @ SunExpress
2 个月Zeynep, it was great working together during your internship. Your energy and fresh ideas really made a difference in the team. Excited to see where you go next—keep up the amazing work!????