Intern Relations

Walking off the street of student life into the hustle and bustle of Babcock and Jenkins proved to be an exciting and enlightening experience. My first day was a whirlwind of learning new names, not only of employees but also of the 10 plus conference rooms that flank the outside rim of both the second and third floor office spaces, the latter of which I’m still struggling to conquer. A surprising nervousness took over my body when I realized the caliber of knowledge that I was now surrounded by. B&J set the bar very high for me to learn and grow. I have truly enjoyed attempting to rise to this occasion. Babcock and Jenkins is one of the most successful B2B relationship marketing agencies in the country. It is not by accident. Its employees are extremely talented and have a long history of building on the industry’s best practices.

Their success is driven by an undeniable work ethic. At B&J, however, they not only work hard they play hard too. The agency culture is inspiring. Never have I seen a corporate environment that works so well together. I can attribute this not only to their professionalism but also to their sense of team work in a vibrant atmosphere. Every Wednesday afternoon is “Miller Time” where the entire office meets in the largest conference room to review projects and you guessed it, start happy hour early. Company events are also always on the agenda. I was only around for a few months, but in that time there was a company picnic at PGE Park during a Beaver game, a wine and cheese mingle with the office above, and shortly after I leave they are all taking a day off to head out on a company-wide field trip to the Oregon Zoo. Even though B&J is situated downtown, it is not unusual for everyone to eat lunch right in the office. Yes it is true! A fully stocked kitchen is yet another perk of the B&J environment. It is available to everyone at anytime. On my first day I was actually told to stop eating breakfast, lunch and dinner at home. My confused look turned to pure astonishment when my meet and greet tour led us to the over the top kitchen filled with an amazing array of options.

My time at B&J has been far too short. I have packed in as much as my brain can handle. I would be greatly disappointed to leave if it wasn’t for knowing that I can bop back in at any time to bounce questions and ideas off anyone on the team or just visit to get my B&J fix. I am welcome back because that’s just the kind of agency it is. They practice what they preach. They build strong healthy relationships not only with their clients, but also with their staff. I will not say goodbye to B&J, but “see you later,” which truly differentiates a typical intern experience. Thanks B&J!