Quicken Loans Communication Intern

This past summer, I found what I’ve been looking for. Every doubt in my mind of corporate companies, every question I had about what I wanted to do when I graduate college, every worry I had about loving what I am doing – all went out the window after spending my summer at Quicken Loans in Detroit, Mich.

While applying for internships, I knew I wanted to end up in Detroit. There has always been something that has drawn me to this city. The constant  improvements, innovation, community outreach and  overall pride was what originally sparked my interest to apply here. But then there is another factor.

Ever since I declared my major in integrated public relations (IPR), I have heard from numerous friends and connections about Quicken Loans. My first encounter with this company was actually in my IPR 101 class, which is an introduction to the IPR major. During this class, a panel of CMU alumni who graduated with the IPR major came in to tell us about what they do now in the field. One of the 4 alumni on the panel was a man named Chris Smith. Smith is the director of internal communication at Quicken Loans, and at the time, he was the most interesting guest we had on the panel to me. After class, I made a point to introduce myself to Smith and ask him questions about what steps he took as a college student to get where he is today. I also peaked interest in Quicken Loans as a company and asked many questions regarding their internship program. From that day 2 years ago, I was hooked on wanting to intern at Quicken Loans.

And so that is how it all begins. I immediately started crying the second I hung up the phone with my recruiter after accepting a communications internship for summer 2019. I had succeeded at my goal that I had been striving for so long for. Little did I know, it wasn’t getting the internship that made me feel like I was following my dreams, it was my time spent there.

As a communications intern, I worked under the Chief Revenue Officer of Quicken Loans, Tim Birkmeier. My responsibilities included acting as the copywriter for internal banking magazines, reading posts for an internal banking communication platform, proofreading emails, managing Birkmeier’s LinkedIn account, and many more exciting tasks that made me eager to get out of bed every day. I never knew that I would feel so passionate about work until this past summer. With the freedom of interviewing executive bankers, coming up with new processes for team distribution, and even rebranding the face of our internal communication platforms, I never once felt like I was an intern. I felt like I was a full-time team member with respected ideas, hands-on projects and felt extremely trusted by executive leaders in this company. 

Quicken Loans has one of the most well-known internship programs in the country. Through different events and activities, I had the chance to make genuine connections with other interns and full-time team members. From going to the Eastern Market for a half day provided with food, t-shirts, and other swag, to going to a Tiger’s game with our team leaders, QL’s intern experience team truly goes above and beyond to make it an unforgettable summer. We even had an intern award ceremony at the end of the program! This internship program is truly something that can’t be ignored. 

Between all of the fun activities the company hosted throughout the summer, I was also able to prioritize what I wanted to get out of the internship itself. Throughout the summer I must have shadowed at least 15 full-time team members in areas of the business all over. Recruiters, executive assistants, bankers, communication specialists and even the intern experience team – they all exposed me to understand what they do and why they do it. While shadowing these folks, I was able to document their contact information, jot down what I learned from them and always came prepared with questions to ask them. 

I could write about what an incredible experience I had at Quicken Loans all day. But instead, I look back at what I learned and what I gained personally and professionally, rather than what I did. After 4 months at Quicken Loans, I now have a clear understanding of who I am as an employee and how to constantly strive to be better at what I do. I learned that writing is a strong suit of mine and that I am extremely passionate toward it. I learned that corporate companies and internships are nothing like their stereotypes (like most things in life, but now I know how). I know that corporate doesn’t mean there isn’t leadership everywhere. That corporate can encourage leadership and encourage growth. I learned a TON about banking, mortgages, technology and Quicken Loans itself. I learned that culture is a vital factor in choosing where I work someday. I learned that communication is like glue that holds everything together in the midst of chaos. I learned that I am an extremely organized human being when it comes to the way I process information and accomplish tasks. And I learned that I have a hell of a lot more to offer employers than I ever thought I did. 

Getting into Quicken Loans’ internship program was a dream of mine. Completing the internship program introduced me to my next dream. And my next dream is to find a job that makes me feel like I did when I worked at Quicken Loans. No matter where I end up, I know what I have to offer and I know what to expect from a company in return for me to truly love going to work every day like I did this summer. I am forever thankful for the opportunity I had to act as a communication intern at Quicken Loans this summer. And I am anxious to apply what I know to another opportunity in the future in order to learn and grow even more.