Q&A with our HR intern, Josie Hutson

Josie has been an invaluable part of the team for the past 6 weeks as our HR intern and how the time has flown by! Josie is soon to return to Chicago, and so as she comes to the end of her time with us, we sat down to ask her a few questions about her experiences at Cleveland & Co.

How would you describe this internship?

As an opportunity to work individually on HR research projects and then present the information I’ve collected to the wider HR team and then the leadership team.

Tell us about any new skills or knowledge you gained during your internship

I was exposed to financial services and investment law, benefits packages offered by businesses in the UK, hiring processes for foreign qualified lawyers, and methods of organising employee handbook information. I was able to develop my skills in creating presentations, data spreadsheets, and general research capabilities.

Why did you join Cleveland & Co? 

I enjoyed being able to make connections with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and expertise in various areas. Being from the US, this internship taught me about the legal profession in the UK. It also taught me about the importance of business development and strategy in law firms, as this was not something I had ever considered before this internship. Overall, I was able to meet great people, have exposure to new knowledge, and develop my research skills.

Has this internship provided you with the knowledge and skills required in the next step of your career path and how?

Yes, this internship has introduced me to the world of HR and investment management and has reaffirmed that I would like a career path where I work to help people. I have also found that I enjoy working within the operations team and this internship has exposed me to the important overlap in knowledge of business development and the law to make sure a company is following all proper procedures.

How would you define our company culture?

To me, C&Co is extremely hard working, professional, collaborative, and welcoming team. Everyone works hard and does great work, but they still make time to have fun and friendly conversations with coworkers.

Would you recommend this internship to others?

I would definitely recommend it to others. I enjoy how everyone in the office is extremely welcoming and always willing to help each other. I was also provided great opportunities to independently research and present information on important HR topics, which I felt was very rewarding.

What are you next career steps and how can we help you achieve success?

I will be graduating from American University in May 2023. I plan on taking a year to work and gain professional experience before applying to law schools for Fall 2024. After completing this internship, I am considering a combined MBA and JD program as I have gained interest in working on the operations team in a legal office. Without this internship, I would have never considered the possibility of pursing a professional degree in both fields.

What was a time that you felt proud during your internship?

I felt proud after completing my latest presentation on benefits package strategy. This was a project I’ve worked on since the beginning of the internship and it was great to see how much my work has progressed since my first presentation to the HR team. After getting feedback from the HR team, it felt fulfilling to put the final touches on the project.