Student Spotlight: Daisy Hernandez

From the interview to the last day of her internship, VEGAS.com was so pleased with our Valley High School intern and the program set forth by Mr. Borin in the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism. You might think, how can you possibly single out just ONE student from a sea of eager (and nervous) high school teens after just a 5 minute interview? Well, our intern, Daisy Hernandez, made that easy for us!

In summer of 2014, Daisy Hernandez was a glowing version of what we were looking for. Leading into her senior year at Valley High School, Daisy had every bit of passion and enthusiasm needed to survive in a “real world” work environment and this was apparent from the moment she sat down. When students ask me what I look for in future interns, I like to let them know that we are looking for personality qualities that set them apart from the masses. Anyone can be trained to draft proper emails or format excel spreadsheets, but things like confidence, eye contact, clear communication, and a genuine smile are a part of a person’s character, and are crucial qualities in our line of work. It certainly speaks volumes if an applicant is well rounded with work experience, volunteer hours, and sports or club affiliations, but our internship at Vegas.com is primarily a sales role with heavy interpersonal communication, where charisma, confidence and eagerness to learn far outweigh the classic, resume building extracurriculars.

Daisy spent three months with us, shadowing all of the departments here at Vegas.com and getting an insightful and comprehensive look at the dynamics behind how a large company makes all the moving parts fit together. The client lunches and off-site business meetings gave her the opportunity to experience the excitement of real-world negotiations and client relationship building, across all of our product lines. By having her own email, desk, and daily responsibilities, she learned many of the necessities of being a mature business professional. Like any new adventure, it took a few days to get her settled in and show her the ropes, but she was comfortable and confident from the start and I learned a lot about myself along the way. I found that putting myself in her shoes was the best way to relate, train and communicate and we grew close and had fun doing it! The biggest reward for me was sharing those “you can’t learn this in a classroom” moments. Things like workplace courtesy, handling varying colleague/authority figures /client personality types, giving proper credit, politics, chain of command, dining etiquette, reciprocating and expressing gratitude, impacts of a positive attitude, importance of networking, etc. These were my favorite to share. Daisy caught on to these topics like a champ; the best part was that she was able to see and experience all of them in action!

At the end of it all, Daisy shared with me that the hardest part of leaving Vegas.com was going to be returning to school to finish her senior year. She had been treated like an adult with the independence of a managerial role and REAL world responsibility. She excelled so much that I could understand how challenging it would be to return to the confines of lunch rooms and hall passes.

Taking on a high school intern might seem like a mountain of work for little reward, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. It’s truly an honor to have a hand in such a vital developmental phase, even if it is for just one individual. Each of us had people in our lives that shaped who we are right now as professionals; parents, bosses, camp counselors, mentors, etc. Whether we took the good or learned from the bad, they left an impression. We live in a competitive and challenging world, and if your intern takes away just one skill or lesson from your time together that will help them succeed, it was worth it. The Valley High School Academy of Hospitality and Tourism Summer Intern program is your chance to be that impactful person for an eager future professional.

As Daisy gets ready to graduate, pick colleges and then start her first job, I hope she will be able to reflect on her time at Vegas.com and the life experiences she learned here. She left a lasting impression on me and I hope to be her mentor for life.

Vanessa Doleshal

Client Development Manager, VEGAS.com

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