Name: Blossom Jeong
Class Year: 2020
Major: Mathematics and Comparative Literature
Hometown: Anyang, South Korea

Internship Organization: IonFarms
Job Title: Marketing & Sales Intern
Location: Incheon, South Korea

What’s happening at your internship?

I’m working as a marketing and sales intern at IonFarms, a trading company that exports a variety of eco-friendly and well-being products. The core products that the company develops are hydrogen water generators and water ionizers. My task really depends on the day, but my primary job involves researching and translating various materials for the company. For example, I looked for online journal articles on the health benefits of hydrogen water and alkaline water to be posted on the company’s website, and I also researched and studied the technology behind water ionizers to be used in promotion materials. Other than research, I helped translate user guides and administration manuals for the new products that the company will be launching soon. Because IonFarms is a trading company that reaches out internationally, I definitely use my language skills a lot.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship because I wanted to understand what the marketing field was like. I’m still debating whether I want to go to graduate school or start working right after graduation, so I wanted to use this summer to explore these possibilities. I’ve developed an interest in marketing after working as a student manager for a varsity team here at Bryn Mawr College, but I wanted to expand that experience further and actually work in a professional setting. I also thought participating in an internship would help me evaluate what skills I have and what skills I might want to develop further, since professional skills might be different from what I learn in school.

What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn’t expect?

From this internship, one thing I learned was that language used at work is much different from the language for everyday use. There was a lot of technical terms that I had never encountered, and I struggled especially when I tried to translate them and always needed to reference a dictionary. And every little detail mattered when I worked in the marketing department. I also realized that working in the marketing department meant that I had to first completely understand the product in question. Even simple jobs like translation and research required that I comprehended the system behind the product I was promoting. If I didn’t understand and appreciate the product, I wouldn’t be able to persuade the customers.

Was this internship what you expected it to be?

Yes and no. I’m really experiencing what it’s like to work at an actual company, and the experience both meets and differs from my expectations. I’m still familiarizing myself with the company’s system, working individually but always having access to others. I also had an opportunity to sit in one of the department meetings, and I was fascinated by the interaction between different employees and the different ideas on the table. It excited me to witness all the energy in the room, people passionately giving their opinions. It made me think about what kind of passion I have, and how I can connect it to my future career.