Adam McNicholas
- Client Success Director
- Culinary Collaborations LLC
School Information
School: Rutgers University
College Major: Business
Years at College Works: 2010 to 2011
Career Information
Working For: Culinary Collaborations LLC
Title: Client Success Director
Industry: Food and Beverages
College Works Career Impact
In one sentence, what has CW meant to you?
College Works Painting was a transformative experience that prepared me for the real world better than any internship ever could.
How did your CW experience impact your career? Immediately after graduation? Now?
My College Works Painting experience instantly made me a much more responsible person. Nothing will make you feel more accountable than when you are in charge of (usually) a person most valuable investment. I still use many of the skills I learned in College Works Painting today – negotiation, scheduling and planning, budget analysis, conflict resolution, etc.
What was the greatest lesson you learned from your CW experience?
The greatest lesson I learned from College Works Painting was how to set expectations. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver no matter how much you want to please someone or win a contract or impress a client. Undersell and over deliver. Your integrity is too valuable.
Advice
What advice do you have for potential CW participants? Current CW participants?
Potential College Works Painting participants – don’t do the internship unless you are willing to put in the time. It’ll save everyone from a bad experience. This means every weekend in the spring semester and most nights as well. It seems like a lot before you do it, but after you do, you’ll wish you did even more. Current College Works Painting participants – use your DM/VP as a resource. If you’re putting in all of your time and effort and not seeing the results you expected, you need to let your DM/VP know. These are people that were the best at this internship and they faced the same problems you did and overcame them. If you don’t let them know what’s not working, they can’t show you how to fix it. Call them everyday until it is fixed – that’s what they’re there for.
Last words of wisdom?
Any pizza is a personal pizza if you try hard enough.