Internship Spotlight: Briana Cuteri, Paradox
Briana Cuteri '23 (BSBA Business Economics & MIS) is a Client Success Intern at Paradox in Scottsdale, AZ
What was the process for getting this internship/job? Paradox is unique in that they use their own software for the recruitment and application process. I found my internship through Handshake, but then went through Paradox’s recruiting assistant, Olivia, to apply and schedule interviews. The whole process took around a month with three rounds of interviews.
What type of projects do you work on? As a client success intern, I support clients with their use of our software. My work ranges from reconfiguring aspects of the system to creating reports showing clients how Olivia is improving their recruiting and hiring process.
What is your favorite part of the experience? One of my favorite parts of interning with Paradox has been the ability to work in such a collaborative and upbeat environment. Paradox is unique in that they’re a young growth company and have hired a healthy mix of industry experts and young professionals. Being able to work so closely with VPs and C suite executives as an intern has provided invaluable insight as to what those roles entail and what it takes to get there.
What do you find most challenging? The most challenging part of this job has been finding where my interests lie within the company. As an MIS major I’m very interested in the technical side of things, but still hope to be working directly with clients in my career. I’m thankful that while I’ve been at Paradox I’ve been able to learn about different business segments and shadow the roles I’m interested in.
What are you learning? Through this experience I’ve learned so much about what it means to be in a client facing position and the trials and tribulations that come along with it. Being included in moments of escalation has taught me how to stay professional and diligent in my work. Additionally, a position such as mine requires working with each business segment in order to meet client needs. Learning how to process information in order to find the best solution has been a welcome challenge.
What advice do you have for other students looking for similar experiences? My advice for students interested in tech is to start early. Any kind of networking or knowledge building that can be done outside of the classroom will be invaluable. Coming into this space with some understanding of software development or systems management will put you steps above others and make you a standout.
How has Eller prepared you for this experience? Eller has prepared me with real-world experience that has been continually relevant outside the classroom. BCOM classes gave me the confidence to interact with large clients such as CVS Health, Disney, and others. Being able to comfortably navigate software such as excel, Microsoft access, and tableau along with a strong foundation in reporting, analytics, and software configuration allowed me to be trusted to put together a quarterly report for one of the company’s largest clients.