Internship Spotlight: Ash Shankar, Nintendo

Ash Shankar '23 BA (Economics & Psychology) was a CX Marketing Research Intern at Nintendo of America in Redmond, WA.

What was the process of getting this internship, job, or summer experience?

I saw a job posting on LinkedIn and I went onto the careers site of Nintendo. On the site, I found many roles and one that was very relevant to my interests, so I went ahead and applied to it. A few interview rounds later, I landed the role!

What was a typical day like?

I worked 9-5 everyday, and it was usually filled with team meetings, touch base meetings with my mentor and manager, and socials with the other interns. When I didn't have meetings scheduled, I would dedicate that time towards completing my project. 

What was your favorite part of the experience?

Nintendo organized a trip for us all to come to campus and attend the Seattle Mariners game. This was my favorite experience since I got to spend a lot of time with the other interns and their managers. It was a nice bonding experience and one that will always be a great memory for me. 

If you worked on a big project, please describe it below:

I worked on analyzing the Nintendo.com audience base, conducting some testing on the site to study engagement with design elements, and creating a playbook to act as a guide for marketing and personalization tactics. 

What did you find most challenging?

This was my first time working a 40-hour week, and also balancing back-to-back meetings, so it was definitely challenging to figure out where I want to allocate my time. I had to manage my time in a way where I was able to work on my project, meet with my team, and also focus on my personal and professional growth.

What did you learn?

I learnt a lot about the corporate world and what various titles in a department actually mean. I also learnt a lot about Nintendo as a company, and how the Japanese work culture blends in with the American work culture. Additionally, I learnt a lot about myself and about my capabilities, so I've definitely grown as a person. 

What advice do you have for other students looking for a similar experience, or advice for future students to be successful?

I would definitely create a system to keep a track of the internships you applied, the ones you want to apply to, submission deadlines, and the titles you're interested in. This system helped break down my internship search process, and it also helped me balance my education along with the search. I would also refer to the Career guidance resources available at Eller, and take advantage of these resources to seek feedback on your resumes, cover letters, and also have mock interviews. 

How did Eller Prepare you for this experience?

My career counselors helped refine my resume and cover letter, and they also helped elevate my LinkedIn profile to look cleaner and more attractive to recruiters and hiring managers.  

Did you feel supported by the company or organization you worked with? Please share what they did to help you feel included. This could include general inclusion as an intern, concerted efforts around diversity/equity/inclusion, or something specific in response to COVID-19.:

I definitely felt included by Nintendo, and they treated interns just like how they treat full time employees. There were many meetings scheduled with executives and recruiting teams to help us learn more about the organization and its values