From Strategy Intern to Chief of Staff: Lessons from My Enova Experience (so far)

I started my journey with Enova International as an intern on the Strategy & Operations (S&O) team for NetCredit’s Line of Credit product, bringing with me a background in industrial engineering. During my internship, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in a project involving loan processing, and learning about different facets of the business. I owe a lot of that experience to my manager and my assigned Enova Buddy, whose support and guidance were instrumental in helping me navigate the organization and deliver impactful results through my intern project. Their mentorship made the entire experience both enjoyable and rewarding.

After my internship, I accepted an offer to return as an S&O Analyst. However, shortly after, I was approached about an opening for the Chief of Staff role. Initially, I had no idea what the role entailed so I reached out to the previous Chief of Staff to get a better understanding.

What I discovered immediately intrigued me: the role provided a unique opportunity to gain visibility across the organization, collaborate with a variety of teams and contribute to projects where I could apply my S&O skillset. It also offered a chance to understand the complexities of running a large-scale organization — a challenge I could not pass up. Six months into the role, I can confidently say I’m thrilled with my decision. Reflecting on my journey so far, there are three lessons that have been pivotal to my professional development and success:

• Stay curious. Always strive to understand how your work fits into the bigger picture.
• Ask questions and share ideas. Contribute your perspective regardless of seniority.
• Actively seek out knowledge and mentorship. The expertise and advice from others can teach you so much and accelerate your growth.

Looking back, I’ve realized that the most important lesson may have been not shying away from asking questions and sharing ideas. This mindset led to meaningful interactions with people across the organization, including executives. In fact, I later discovered that one of the executives had recommended me for the Chief of Staff role. 

I’m incredibly grateful for how my internship at Enova laid the foundation for my career. It equipped me with the skills, confidence and mindset to pursue new challenges and grow as a professional. The chance to make meaningful contributions while growing my skillset has been incredibly valuable, and I’m excited to continue this journey with Enova.