By: Brigid Murray
This summer, I had the privilege of participating in an awesome opportunity with TJX Companies. The TJX NextGen Externship was an experience open to rising sophomores from Massachusetts universities. We spent a full day getting a behind-the-scenes look at what a career in merchandising entails. Prior to this experience, I didn’t know what an externship was, but it ended up being exactly the experience I needed. Here are a few reasons why an externship might be what you’re looking for:
1.Perfect for beginners
Almost all externships are designed for college freshmen and sophomores. The recruiters know that you’re new to this and will guide you along the way. Because of this, an externship might be a useful stepping stone as opposed to jumping right into a professional internship.
Apart from trying to find parking at TJX’s massive Framingham headquarters, the day wasn’t nearly as intimidating as I expected. We were welcomed by the campus recruiters with coffee and breakfast and seated in groups with a few other students. Getting to know my peers and learning they were just as excited, anxious, and clueless as me put my mind at ease and got me excited for the day ahead.
2. Exploring potential careers
Honestly, I had no idea what a career in merchandising even meant before this. Yet, by the end of the day, I felt like I could’ve started then and there. This externship was the perfect snapshot of what this job would look like for me. We watched a presentation on the brand and listened to a panel of employees. Then, we moved into a merchandising exercise where we got to interact with real products, rate their quality on the TJX scale, and decide how we would allocate them to stores. We each got a personal tour of the headquarters and did a job shadow with an associate, getting to see exactly how to bring customers products they’ll love.
Observing a corporate environment was super informative, revealing what I value in a workplace’s culture. TJX’s offices are lively and bustling with young, fashion-forward workers. Many important decisions emerge from hallway hellos or lunch hangouts. An ice cream truck even comes to the office every Wednesday! Friendships and fun seemed like a priority at TJX. In fact, several associates expressed how little they get done on in-person days compared to remote days because they’re spending so much time with their friends! All these qualities made it an attractive workplace to me and are notes I’ll keep in mind throughout my future job search.
3. Getting comfortable with the application process
I had never applied to anything this professional before and to say I was nervous would’ve been an understatement. The application was typical and straightforward, requiring a resume and cover letter. I took advantage of the Chase Career Center for assistance and could not have made a better choice. My career peer helped me take my resume from basic to outstanding and relieved a lot of my stress about the cover letter.
The next step was a virtual interview. Interviews never made me nervous before. I always thought of it as any other conversation. If they like me, they like me, and if they don’t, they don’t. However, these awkward simulated video interviews have to be the worst thing that has stuck around from COVID-19. There is nothing natural about answering timed questions on film alone in your dorm room and expecting to get it perfect on the first try. I completely thought I bombed it: flubbing my words, blanking on answers, and spending most of the allotted time staring blankly into the camera, saying “Um…so…basically yeah.” But, apparently, it wasn’t as bad as I thought because I was lucky enough to receive an invitation a few weeks later.
No one enjoys the application process, but practice really does make perfect. Every cover letter you write, resume you revise, and interview you endure, gets better and easier-so keep sending out those applications. By senior year, you’ll be a pro and you’ll be thanking your younger self for that cringey interview.
4. No major time commitment
Industry experience is crucial, but not everyone has the option to give up a whole summer to do an unpaid internship. For this reason, externships are a great way to get a little experience without sacrificing work time. I requested the day off from my two summer jobs weeks in advance and carried on stress-free. The TJX Externship was only one day long, though some can be longer. Some are even completely virtual. Looking back, I wish I applied to a hundred externships!
5. Networks
Finally, Isenberg’s favorite word: networking! Building bonds with people in your desired field of work goes a long way. At the externship, I had the privilege of getting to know a Senior Allocation Analyst who worked in the children’s department for TJXMaxx.com and Marshalls.com. She was exceptionally kind and welcoming, gladly answering all my silly questions. She even bought us treats from the ice cream truck! At the end of the day, we exchanged information and she said we could reach out with any questions. Tons of people in the industry are willing to help out students, it’s just up to you to get out and meet them!
Overall, the TJX NextGen Externship was an enriching experience for me (and the swag bag we got to take home wasn’t half bad either)! As an Isenberg student, sometimes it feels like all you hear about is internships. While it’s totally normal to not have one as a freshman or sophomore, sometimes when you’re not two steps ahead, it can feel like you’re ten steps behind. For these reasons and more, I’d highly recommend applying to any and all externships that pique your interest as a way to procure valuable industry experience on a low-stakes scale.