The Intern Experience at P.A.
The P.A. Team welcomed our first interns to our office this summer to kick off our new internship program. We welcomed Jay Trivedi, class of 2023, a marketing major at Wayne State University, and Brady Bull, class of 2024, a student at the University of Michigan majoring in PPE (Politics, Philosophy, and Economics). Brady and Jay shadowed a handful of associates at our firm and were able to witness the lifecycle of a deal over a three-month period. Our Marketing Director, Lauren Hussong sat down with each intern before they left for school to see what they thought of their experience.
Lauren: How would you describe our company culture here?
Brady: P.A. is a collaborative environment. Everyone has their geographic specialty and real estate typology expertise, so if I ever had a question about anything, they welcomed me with open arms. I feel like I have the whole company behind my back.
Jay: Everyone is very inclusive and was willing to bring me in on their projects, people eat lunch together, there is a real sense of comradery and friendship.
Lauren: What did you find to be the most valuable regarding your internship at P.A?
Brady: Gaining real-world experience and not sitting on Zoom all day for classes was great. As our state opened up more, it was also refreshing to interact with humans face-to-face more.
Jay: I was able to see how things work on both the client and broker side of a deal. This gave me a much better understanding of real estate investments and how they play out over time. Investing in real estate is something I want to pursue once I have the means to do so – it’s definitely a goal to work towards.
Lauren: What are some things you learned about commercial real estate that you didn’t know before?
Brady: It was great to see how things actually go down in person and seeing the steps of a deal from start to finish. Googling things only teaches you so much.
Jay: I learned the importance of fostering relationships with clients. You never know where that relationship can lead.
Lauren: What was your favorite part about working here over the last few months?
Brady: I loved having a flexible schedule and that every day was different. Some days I would be performing research or calling leads while other days I would be touring buildings or at showings. Things were never boring.
Jay: Shadowing Dan and Anthony was great because it gave me a first-hand look at how deals are done. In addition, everyone here has a diverse background but is very passionate about what they do, which was inspiring to see.
Lauren: Are there any skills you learned that will help you when you go back to school?
Brady: Learning time management skills and how to multi-task was very valuable and is something that will help me when I go back to college in a few weeks. I also learned how to read people better.
Jay: My communication skills have improved the most from this experience. When you’re in real estate, there are a lot of moving parts, and sometimes things can be lost in translation if you are not clear. I learned how to get my point across in a more precise way which will help when talking to a recruiter or at a future job interview.