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Meet Alvin Le, a Marketing and Information Systems student at the University of Washington who is currently interning at RedCloud. In this insightful conversation, Alvin tells us a bit about his tasks and projects, the skills he's leveraging from his academic background, and his observations about the RedCloud team's culture. Plus, find out his favorite app and how it enhances his dining experience!
Why did you seek out an internship with RedCloud, and in the consulting industry?
I met RedCloud Account Director Scott (Morton) at a University of Washington alumni event hosted by my fraternity and was immediately intrigued by his description of RedCloud. I connected with him on LinkedIn shortly after and reached out to ask if I could join RedCloud as a Consulting intern.
Fortunately for me, Scott was extremely accommodating and made the process easy and enjoyable. As a Marketing and Information Systems student at the University of Washington, working at RedCloud offers the perfect combination of marketing and technology that I seek in a role. I’ve always wanted to work in consulting - I love the strategic, creative, and client-facing aspects of the industry - and I was actively searching for consulting opportunities aligned with my background and interests. I found that in RedCloud, and I look forward to being a sponge of knowledge.
What are your main tasks and projects as part of your internship?
As I’m only a few weeks into my internship, I’m still learning the ropes of my assigned tasks and projects. I currently have the opportunity to work alongside Scott and assist him with monthly SLA MOSA reporting and Studio MOSA reporting. I also assist Yan Ma, a Senior Product Marketing Manager at RedCloud, with weekly Microsoft 365 newsletters as part of Microsoft client work. I’ve gained a wealth of knowledge in my first few weeks, and I’m excited to continue working on such fulfilling projects.
What skills have you used, or do you think you'll use the most from school in your internship?
Much of my coursework is directly applicable to my role at RedCloud. Material from my Marketing classes allows me to understand the industry jargon, and my Information Systems curriculum gives me a good grasp of the technological landscape in which I work. I’ve previously worked on Marketing Consulting projects in school, which have developed the critical thinking skills, teamwork abilities, and growth-centered mindset necessary for a strong foundation in the field. I’m confident that I can leverage my resources at the UW Foster School of Business and past work experience to excel in this role and make a lasting impact on the RedCloud team.
What is it like working with the RedCloud team?
My experiences with the RedCloud team have been nothing but positive. Everyone I've interacted with has been friendly and helpful, from the recruiting process to onboarding and actual work dynamics. Though my work is primarily remote, it is easy to see that RedCloud emphasizes a close-knit culture that values its human resources.
What have been some of the biggest takeaways you had from your internship so far?
So far, my internship has taught me valuable lessons about professional communication, essential business processes, and the importance of efficient teamwork. By assisting
seasoned consultants on my team, I observe and understand the professional synergies required to deliver weekly action items on time and of high quality. Along with industry-specific knowledge, I can apply these takeaways to future work experiences.
Name a piece of tech you can’t live without or your favorite app?
Currently, my favorite app is a restaurant-reviewing platform called Beli. Beli allows you to rate restaurants, bars, coffee shops, etc., you’ve visited using an intuitive algorithm that automatically ranks them. You can share your ratings with friends on the platform, read the reviews of others, and even make last-minute reservations. I would describe the user experience as a Yelp/Instagram hybrid.
For an avid “foodie” like me, Beli encourages me to visit new restaurants with friends and family, adding a new factor of enjoyment and excitement to my dining experiences. I even used Beli to track the countries I visited when I spent a quarter abroad. I highly recommend this app to anyone who loves to explore their surroundings when traveling or food lovers who want to track where they eat through social media.