Laying Down the Law in Legal – DriveTime 2013 Internship Series

Written by: Maddie Schmitt, Legal Intern

I began my internship for the legal department of DriveTime in March of this year. I had never had an internship before, so I was immediately intimidated by the corporate atmosphere. However, after a few days of shadowing the other legal intern and some welcome lunches with my department, I was absolutely sold on the idea of working at DriveTime.

At first it was just because of the free food, but I soon realized there were many reasons I was going to enjoy working here. My managers and the senior officers of the company were friendly and welcoming, always making sure I was comfortable in my position as a new intern and never overwhelmed. Everyone greets you with a smile and is willing to help with anything you may need, something I did not expect from such a large corporation.

In addition, my supervisors are very accommodating and worked around my schedule during school. I worked part time for about three months while the school year was still in session then began full time after finals. Gradually, my managers began to assign me more tasks and projects as I grew accustomed to my role in the department, challenging me to develop skills I will utilize later in my career.

When the other interns started I grew to love my job even more. During the first week of the 10 week summer program, we were exposed to all different aspects of the company such as the purchasing auction, inspection center, and our operations center in Mesa. It was interesting to see how each part contributes to the function and growth of the company as a whole. At the end of the week we were treated to a movie and by then I had gotten to know all of the awesome people I’ll be working with for the rest of the summer.

As interns, we participate in workshops that help us to expand our knowledge and understanding of DriveTime and how it works as well as get to know our fellow interns on a more personal level. I believe the program is unique because from the very first day we have been told that the goal is not for us to end up working at DriveTime (although I’m sure we all want to), but to build a solid skill set applicable to any job or situation we may encounter throughout our lives.

I appreciate that the managers involve us in the actual work they do for the company and the fact that we are encouraged to explore any other departments we would like. Since I began working here, I have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in the legal field as well as a great respect for the organization and the people behind it. I look forward to continuing my experience here at DriveTime for as long as possible.

For more information on summer internship opportunities at DriveTime, visit our Careers Center website or continue to check our blog for updates.