Five Things I Learned During My OpenSesame Internship

By Guest Author

This post was written by Sofia Massignani, a 2025 summer intern on the OpenSesame Curation team.

When I started as a Curation Team intern at OpenSesame, I expected to 1) learn about the company, 2) contribute to substantial projects, and 3) gain valuable experience to add to my resume.

What I wasn’t anticipating was how much I’d learn about myself in how I work, how I connect with others, and how I can make an impact in a professional setting.

Here are five lessons I learned during this experience that I plan to carry forward in my career journey:

1. Networking isn’t just a buzzword

When I first started my internship, my mentors encouraged me to connect with as many people in the company as possible. I was nervous about reaching out to people I didn’t know and worried about maintaining conversations that felt professional yet natural.

I’m so glad I didn’t let my nerves stop me. I scheduled the calls, and it turns out that the more I practiced connecting with others, the easier it became, and the more I learned about what makes a conversation meaningful. These connections proved to be one of the most rewarding parts of my internship. Networking has opened doors to working on more projects, gaining new experiences, and building stronger relationships with my team. I now embrace the nerves that come with meeting someone new, and I view each conversation as a learning opportunity.

2. Work/life balance in a remote environment

This internship gave me many firsts: my first remote job, my first corporate role, and my first time working full-time hours. While I loved skipping a long commute, I quickly realized remote work required more intentional connection and structure.

I created opportunities to connect by joining intern huddles, scheduling quick calls, and preparing questions for one-on-ones. I also established daily routines, such as blocking time for lunch, taking end-of-day walks, and breaking work into focused bursts. These habits helped me stay balanced and mindful.

OpenSesame’s culture also had a big impact. On my first day, I joined Drag Bingo with the Queers of OpenSesame ERG, which showed how much the company values community and growth. Throughout the summer, I connected with teammates through events and conversations that taught me strategies for balancing wellness with work.

I leave this internship more confident in my ability to connect, manage my time, and thrive in any setting.

3. Curation is strategic and creative

I entered this internship with a background in strategic communication and wasn’t sure what to expect from the Curation Team. Preparing training suggestions and aligning customer goals with content helped me deepen my understanding of OpenSesame’s catalog and gain insight into different competencies and training needs. I’m grateful for the trust my team placed in me, which gave me the confidence to take on customer-facing projects and utilize public resources that will continue to support the team.

Curation turned out to be the perfect place to blend my background with new skills in strategy, creativity, and problem-solving.

4. Speaking the language of business

I entered this role from a previous job where I was already familiar with all the systems. Stepping into a completely new environment truly tested me with a new working style and learn about processes that I had never encountered before. Acronyms, data points, and industry-specific terms felt completely foreign to me, so I made sure to take notes and ask questions. I began to see the patterns and build an understanding of a new way to communicate. Some of it was specific to OpenSesame and the learning and development industry, but much of it reflected a broader skill – learning to communicate impactfully in a professional setting.

Although I haven’t yet mastered it, I have established a strong foundation in corporate communications.

5. The power of knowing your impact

One of the most valuable parts of this internship was the mentorship I received. My mentors invested time in helping me grow, advocating for me, and guiding me toward a clearer career path. They also taught me to recognize the impact of my work and how my projects fit into the bigger picture.

This gave me the confidence to discuss my contributions and gain a new perspective on my future roles.

How I’ll apply this to my future career

My internship at OpenSesame reshaped how I’ll approach future roles. I’ve learned to focus on impact rather than just output, and I now feel more confident stepping into situations that once felt daunting. I better understand the value I bring and how to express it. These lessons will guide me as I take on new opportunities, and I’m excited to carry my OpenSesame toolkit with me for years to come.

My advice for future interns

• Connect with as many team members as possible. Even if you’re nervous, consider joining ERGs, Slack channels, events, or coffee chats, or reach out to team members you’d like to speak with. These connections will help you build confidence, and the more you participate in the workplace culture, the more rewarding the experience will be.
• Be proactive in remote work. Hold yourself accountable. If you’re interested in work that another team is doing, communicate that to your managers, mentors, and team members. You never know what opportunities are available for you if you don’t ask.
• Ask for feedback and impact notes. Understanding why your work matters will enhance your job performance and boost your confidence in your abilities. It will also help you refine the skills you already have and learn about the skills you can acquire to improve.
• Keep a growth mindset. There are numerous opportunities to learn during any internship, from summer knowledge shares to book clubs. You get out of these what you put in, so be sure to keep an open mind and pay attention. The skills you pick up might be ones you didn’t even know you needed.