Maxie Winick, of Toronto, Ontario, is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario with a degree in Management and Organizational Studies and a post-graduate certificate in Marketing Management. She interned with Signals Intelligence Group.
-I was in Washington when I received a Skype call at 6:00 am from the head of Marketing and Account Management at Signals Intelligence Group. It was a cold and rainy morning nearing the end of January. I had already had two interviews with companies that weren’t a good fit for me. This, along with the fact that I had a flight to Tel Aviv in one week, added to my feelings of stress and anticipation.
Fortunately, the man on the other line was casual and friendly. Our conversation was natural, we talked about my educational background, employment history, and our mutual love for traveling. I hung up after 45 minutes with a renewed sense of confidence. Signals Intelligence Group, a global consulting company, provides evidence-based insights to essential business questions, through big data analysis. At first a foreign concept, I now understand the critical importance that big data plays for companies wishing to compete on the global business stage. The fact that both of Signals’ CEOs have backgrounds in military intelligence adds to the company’s credibility, as does its quick growth from 7 to 60 employees in five short years. Having previously interned at a large media/advertising company in Toronto, I was skeptical as to whether embarking on yet another five month internship would prove beneficial. Now that I am nearing the end of my stay in Israel, I can confidently say that immersing myself in a new culture and interning at a small company with a start-up mentality has been one of my best decisions to date. Working in an environment where your ideas and opinions not only matter, but are implemented, and where your tasks are dynamic and stimulating, has renewed my faith in the ability to feel fulfilled in a 9:00 am to 5:00 pm desk job. Right from the start, I was trusted to lead and execute two large marketing initiatives. Both the knowledge and the confidence I have gained from working on these projects is incalculable.
Half a year ago I made the decision to quit my job, pack my bags, and move halfway around the world to immerse myself in a foreign culture, to learn and to grow. Six months after making that decision I have accomplished just that, and have formed new memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.
