FLAVOR FRAGRANCE
Reflections on My 4-Year Internship at Flavorchem
June 2, 2023 | NEWS
First Impressions
I started at Flavorchem in 2019 as a part of my high school’s Corporate Work Study program. I was fourteen years old. I started in Marketing. My first assignment was photo tagging. All I had to do was look at the photo and put in the comments what it was by food category. For example, a picture of a cup of coffee would be tagged “coffee, beverage.” The task was a little monotonous, but it was a good time passer. After that, I was taught how to use Photoshop. From then on, the fun never stopped. I started helping with photo editing, packing up supplies for trade shows, and working on employee spotlights. Anything they believed I could do, I did. The employees were the kindest people and we got along great. My favorite part of that first year was spraying the customer Christmas cards with a scent made by the company. It smelled so sweet, and they let me keep the leftover scent. I keep it in my room as an air freshener.
Remote Work
During the pandemic, I was working remotely. I started working more on researching marketing techniques and different flavor and fragrance trends. Looking back, those projects were the most influential because they helped me learn how to do research projects and write better essays in school. During that time, I also met some new employees who were just as kind as the ones I already knew. I was so excited for the quarantine to be over so I could get back to Flavorchem.
Return to Office
I was 16 when I returned in-person to Flavorchem, I was rotating between Marketing and Human Resources. Although I do enjoy Human Resources, Marketing was always my favorite. A lot of my work that year was hands-on. I was packing things for trade shows, making boxes, filling blotter tubes with scent testers, and most importantly making company swag bags. I was still helping with photo editing, but I also learned about the analytical side of things. I learned about the percentage of sales made by social media posts, how they articulate what ways of marketing make the most sales, and how they figure out what their monthly trends were going to be.
Victory Lap
I am now 18 years old and a senior in high school. I have spent four years at Flavorchem. If I could go back in time to that first day, I would do it all over again. Flavorchem feels like family. The welcoming atmosphere, the kind employees, the willingness to teach kids like me. It’s like a second home. Flavorchem helped me realize my passion for art and graphic design, and better yet helped me figure out my college major. I plan on continuing at Flavorchem after college, and I will be forever grateful for the opportunities and the resources that I was given in my time here.