By Hilary Terrell, Associate Product Marketing Manager

Nothing beats a great group of motivated, friendly summer interns to liven up the office. This summer we had an exceptional group, including two Berkeley students who worked with the Product Marketing team, and a recent California State University, Fullerton, grad who works with the SMB Marketing team.

I sat down with Jason, the SMB Marketing intern, recently and got his thoughts on his internship experience thus far, and his perspective on SuccessFactors after being here for just two months. Fresh insight!

Hilary: So what attracted you to this internship and to SuccessFactors?

Jason: Well, being fresh out of school, I didn’t know about SuccessFactors until someone pointed them out to me. I did some homework on who they were and what it is they do. In my head I group a company as either a good guy or a bad guy… e.g. [bleeeeeep] or [bleeeeeep] would be a ‘bad guy’ in my mind.

Hilary: Readers will have to fill in the blanks on that one!

Jason: SuccessFactors seemed to be one of the good guys, providing a product that helped people be happier and more efficient on the job. As individuals we all have the ability to choose how much we invest in our work – emotionally, physically, and mentally. SuccessFacrtors is a company I could see myself supporting 100%.

Hilary: A+ on your homework.

Jason: So I came in for an interview and was hooked right from that moment because of the energy in the office, people buzzing around, and NO CUBICLES.

Hilary: [laughing] I made sure to put that in my internship posting—no cubicles!

Jason: It caught me off guard but once I thought about it, I realized that this sort of structure seemed to promote an atmosphere of real teamwork.

Hilary: So how does the day to day life here compare to that first impression?

Jason: I’d say my first impression was definitely reinforced once I met the marketing team. Everyone was welcoming and professional, and I assumed it would be a face-paced environment, which has turned out to be very true.

Hilary: You can say that again.

Jason: Clearly, this is a company with a lot of talented people who have a passion for the industry. The atmosphere is youthful, energetic, and positive which I have found motivates people even more. It’s like a synergistic chain reaction. This is something I had suspected, and now realize each day.

Hilary: How many months have you been on the team now?

Jason: Barely 2 months, I think it’s been 7 weeks. It’s been a blur, but in a good way.

Hilary: Has there been anything about our corporate culture that has stood out to you in your time here so far?

Jason: Lots of little things—people can do as they please as long as the job gets done. I enjoy listening to music on my headphones when I have my head buried in spreadsheets, or being able to take a lunch break 20 minutes earlier than the day before. I think my generation appreciates that kind of flexibility. Everyone chats online, which is a great way to stay connected and increase collaboration between co- workers.

Hilary: Especially since we have employees around the globe!

Jason: Right. Little things like that tell me that the company is gearing up for the future. So many companies are geared towards a rigid culture that is counterproductive to morale. Management is often out of touch with the workforce; walking around like you have a stick lodged somewhere it’s not supposed to be is never a positive attribute… you know? It’s a different kind of work force coming to the forefront now and SuccessFactors seems ahead of the game.

Hilary: I totally agree. The culture here definitely embraces forward-thinking ways of doing things, and I’m glad you’ve felt that firsthand. So…Ideally, what would you like to get out of this internship?

Jason: Well, a position here is one of my goals for sure. I’m done with school and ready to make a real difference. I feel like it’s a perfect fit in regards to corporate culture, and I believe morally in the product/service—a recipe for a good experience. But first and foremost, I’m here to learn as much as I can, whether within the marketing group or elsewhere in the company. And making some great friends along the way never hurts, right?

Hilary: That’s definitely one of the things that makes everyday enjoyable here—having a group of coworkers you truly enjoy being around and collaborating with. No more lunching in my cubicle like I did at my last job.

Jason: You definitely don’t see that around here too often!

Hilary: Cheers to that.

Pretty insightful after just two months here. Jason, thank you for sharing your fresh perspective on SuccessFactors!