Here at Cimpress’ Waltham, MA office, the building is not the only thing that’s new. New products are being created, new technology is being developed, and new faces are coming in every day and becoming part of the company. Something great about Cimpress is that these new faces belong to people from different generations, resulting in teams that are made up of a variety of age groups.
I began my internship at Cimpress in early January as part of Northeastern University’s cooperative education program. Currently, I am the youngest person on my team, which can lead to some interesting work dynamics. For example, everyone on my team has children, and enjoys telling stories about their kids during our free time. It can be hard to relate or contribute to stories about summer camp expenses, children getting sick, and growth spurts when I’m closer in age to their children than I am to some of my co-workers.
That said, these are gaps are not necessarily a bad thing. The advice that I’ve been given by the people I work with has already made lasting impressions on me because it is always meant to help, not to patronize. I learn something new from someone on my team every day, and I hope that I can also teach them something over the coming months. We are all resources for each other at Cimpress, regardless of age, and we are constantly learning from one other.
My decorated cube
The best thing about working for Cimpress is the atmosphere and the culture. Everyone I cross paths with is warm and friendly, not intimidating. When my manager proposes a new project, she trusts me to take the initiative and get a thorough, thoughtful draft to her. During team meetings when I share my updates, everyone pays attention and appreciates my input. It doesn’t matter that I’m young. It doesn’t matter that I’m an intern. My suggestions are always valued and some have been implemented. Here, I am not judged on my age, but rather on my work ethic and the effort that I put forward. Interns are often given the short end of the stick in an office environment (“Can you file this, please?”) But Cimpress has provided me with hands-on experience that has already allowed me to start growing and developing the skills they first saw potential in when I was hired.
Hannah McCabe
Jr. Communications Specialist, Corporate Communications and Junior at Northeastern University