Undoubtedly, the people at Financeit have made a difference in my experience here. They have made me feel so welcomed and have been helpful with any concerns I’ve had.
Our internship program at Financeit is dedicated to providing an experience for students to apply their skills in a meaningful way. We try to institute a work environment that promotes authenticity, openness, and connectivity, where interns can gain real-world experiences. From Operations to Finance, each department’s key driver is for interns to make a meaningful impact. Interns will have the opportunity to work on job-related tasks, as well as projects designed to make an impact on the business, which will help enable them to establish a professional network and promote career development.
Each intern is placed on a team that is conducive to their overall learning and development. They are given a supervisor who is responsible for providing a safe environment, where they are given the necessary tools to perform the learning goals established. They meet regularly with their managers, which allows time to discuss projects, review performance, provide feedback, and an opportunity to get to know each other on a personal level. It’s imperative that interns feel welcomed at Financeit and are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work.
Having a good internship program is something of dual benefit for both students and companies alike. Interns can provide novel and valuable insight, especially with problem-solving and project performance. They are always ready to put their best foot forward and deliver top-quality work. Over the years we have been fortunate enough to attract talented interns, and in some cases retain them for future internships or permanent positions.
At Financeit, we take pride in our diverse and dynamic environment. We encourage our employees to act on their ideas and believe our culture is rooted in collaboration, innovation, and values. We have seen that a great way to attain top talent is through internship programs, which allows a company to look out for promising future employees. It is only the organizations with the best employees that can attain such a dynamic and successful company. As such, we plan to continue providing internship opportunities for years to come with hopes to grow our internship programs further.
To gain more insight into Financeit’s internship programs, we interviewed Maria Qasim, our Operations Intern, and Truman Le, our Finance Intern:
Maria Qasim, Operations Intern
What do you like about Financeit?
What isn’t there to like? Undoubtedly, the people at Financeit have made a difference in my experience here. They have made me feel so welcomed and have been helpful with any concerns I’ve had. It’s so lovely to be in an environment where communication is celebrated, and I’m able to learn and grow. Although I’m working remotely, I still felt included in the culture through virtual events, Town Halls, and Zoom parties with fellow team members. Lastly, you can see how inclusive the company is by the way they treat their employees.
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
The tasks. I enjoy calling people, especially outbound calls to merchants. Getting to talk to clients from around the province was a bonus. I also worked alongside the DIBS committee and created an organization management training for difficult conversations around the workplace. Diversity and inclusion are very important to me, especially when making an equitable workplace where everyone feels safe and included. At my university, I am a committee member for our Corporate Social Responsibility Club. We host a lot of events related to sustainability initiatives that corporations can take. It was great to be able to extend what I’ve learned in school through DIBS.
What is it about the company that led you to work here, and how have you been able to grow?
This will be my second year as an Operations Intern. My friend got a job here as an Intern last year and mentioned Financeit was looking for more candidates. I was excited to re-join such a fantastic workforce! Because of the opportunity last year, I’ve been able to grow even further into my role. I’ve learned a few arduous tasks and been given more responsibilities. I also made use of networking opportunities within the company.
Do you have any advice for an intern entering this role?
The first few days of training can be daunting- especially if you don’t know anything about loans but don’t stress about the overload, so many people are here to help and give advice. It’s not supposed to make sense right away; understanding how the business works takes time. Secondly, ask a lot of questions. This is how you learn and develop into your role.
What do you believe the next step is in your career, and how did your internship prepare you for it?
I’ve decided to specialize in accounting. I’ve been allowed to network with some accounting specialists at Financeit, which helped me gain exposure in my field. Thankfully, I’ve gained a plethora of transferable skills such as multitasking, analytics, customer service, time management, and autonomy which will carry over nicely into my future career. I’ve also learned so much about the fintech industry and how loans, mortgages, and interest rates work. These are essential aspects of life and will also help me when I apply for accounting-related jobs.
Were there any projects you worked on aside from your day-to-day tasks? If so, please explain.
I was fortunate enough to get to work on an operations project with my colleagues. The project was to improve user experiences. Both Clara Mendez, Director of Lending and Nick Cooke, Credit Support Manager provided us with access to databases and resources, making the project flow better. We gathered a ton of resources and conducted surveys to gain feedback from borrows and merchants. From there, we identified any issues and met with divisions to discuss the next steps. We met with account managers and merchant activation managers to address the most prominent issues and come up with resolutions. Our final presentation will be in August, and I can’t wait to showcase our hard work!
Truman Le, Finance Intern
What do you like about Financeit?
I’d have to say the people I’ve gotten to work with, especially those who’ve helped me excel as an intern. Having the support of my team and colleagues has made me feel more comfortable and welcomed at Financeit. I also really enjoy the current work environment and the tasks I’ve been given to complete. I am in Finance, so it’s all about those numbers.
Financeit’s culture is a massive part of how this company runs successfully and efficiently. This environment has been inclusive, collaborative, and engaging. I’ve gotten to meet my team members via zoom, which has allowed me to get to them on a personal level.
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
In my role specifically, I get to clear invoices and expenses. It might seem really tedious, but it’s incredibly satisfying to complete a batch payment of employee expenses. I’ve enjoyed the fast-based environment and the challenging nature of each task I get to complete. It has helped me so much with career development.
What is it about the company that led you to work here, and how have you been able to grow?
I am currently completing a bachelor’s degree in accounting and was interested in finding an internship position to build my resume and increase my skill development. Financeit seemed to have a great community and management base. Having done some research on the company, I really respect the company’s mission and collaborative presence. Since being here, I’ve learned from my fellow team members and gained a better understanding of financial operations. It’s been great being able to apply my knowledge to real work experiences, too. I’ve also learned how to work in a professional setting and understand how a business operates.
Do you have any advice for an intern entering this role?
Don’t hesitate to ask questions and be open to feedback. It helps you learn from your mistakes and builds confidence. Internships are giving you leverage into the professional world; take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.
What do you believe the next step is in your career, And how did your internship prepare you for it?
After I finish school, I would like to become an accountant. The experience I’ve gained at Financeit has prepared me for how the accounting world works or a glimpse into it. I’ve learned the fundamentals of accounting and what a full-time job looks like because of this internship. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have worked with a company that values interns and the work we do.
We would like to send out a big thank you to our Interns, Maria Qasim and Truman Le, for participating in this interview. We’d also like to express our gratitude to all interns, past and present, who have added great #value, #personality and #service to Financeit. Our intern-friendly culture has created an environment in which students can learn, grow their skills and gain the confidence to pursue a career in the professional world. Every intern has been a valuable asset to Financeit’s success and we are looking forward to continuing with our internship program in the future.