Tamara Arroyo gained hands-on experience in retail leasing, sales, market research, property analysis and client support while interning with NAI Horizon’s Retail Team.
How did you get your internship?
I actually introduced myself to my now internship site supervisor at a conference. The University of Arizona offers students in the Real Estate Development minor great opportunities to meet real estate professionals. The program brings in professionals as guest speakers to lectures, hosts networking events at and around the university and invites students to local conferences free of charge. I had the opportunity to attend Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) annual forecast, a huge conference with all of Tucson’s commercial real estate community, and there, I met lots of new people. I also recognized someone there that I had previously connected with on LinkedIn about an internship opportunity. I was nervous to go up to him and talk to him, but I decided that I should go introduce myself in person and the worst thing he could say was that he already found an intern. I’m very glad I did because we scheduled a follow-up meeting right then and there. Over lunch, we talked about the position and I was in!
What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience?
The kind of work I did was almost everything that an actual commercial real estate agent does. I worked closely with my team on property analysis, market research and document reviews. I also used the concepts I learned in school to create real-world valuation models, analyze comparable properties and conduct market research to support asking rents or prices. I had the opportunity to listen to phone calls, sit in on client meetings and even lead a property tour recently! I saw all the parts of commercial real estate in and out of the office. I am very fortunate to have a team that allowed me to be so involved in it all.
What new knowledge and skills did you develop in this internship?
This internship has helped me learn how to adapt to a professional office environment. It’s very different from any job I’ve had before. Being in the office, I learned how to carry myself professionally by watching others. I noticed how these brokers with years of experience dressed, spoke with each other and interacted with their clients. On top of that, my mentor always answers my questions about what might be expected of me as the office intern. These transferable skills will help me as I continue to work in commercial real estate, regardless of where I go in the future.
How did your Applied Humanities major coursework help prepare you or give you unique insight for the internship experience?
The Applied Humanities courses helped me navigate the internship experience in an unorthodox way. It gave me a different perspective on each part of the internship journey. In the very beginning, when we were just talking about finding an internship, our Pre-Internship professors said stop job-searching and start opportunity-searching. Opportunity is everywhere for those who are looking for it. It might be in the small talk you make with a stranger in the elevator. Or it might be more intentional at a networking event in the industry you’re interested in. Regardless of where, it’s important to meet new people, ask them about their career and tell them about what you want to do. If they don’t know anything about what you’re interested in, they might know someone who does and connect you to them. It’s opportunistic thinking like this that can help you get wherever you want to be.
What did you find challenging about your internship?
The most challenging part of working as an agent is the schedule. I’ve always been the type of person to have my schedule written down in my weekly planner ahead of time. I planned out class times, work shifts or workouts. In the world of real estate, there is no schedule. The only scheduled meeting I have in my planner nowadays is my team’s weekly Monday morning meeting at our office. After that meeting, anything can happen. A client might call to schedule a property tour. A landlord might call to ask for a favor to be done immediately. A high priority email might come through and change our plans for the rest of the work day. I’ve learned to take the days as they come. I have become more flexible in my planning and preparation for each day. The little things like making sure I pack a snack or an extra pair of shoes in my car have helped me get through whatever the day may bring.
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?
I’ve always imagined myself moving back home to Phoenix after graduating college. I wanted to stay close to my family. Now that I’ll be working as an agent full-time at NAI Horizon, I’ll be calling Tucson my home. This internship confirmed that I want to keep pursuing a career in commercial brokerage. Luckily, Phoenix and my family are just a short drive away.
What advice do you have for other students as they search for and/or begin their internship?
As you begin your internship, like with any new job, it can be easy to feel like an imposter. You might feel like everyone around you knows more than you and you don’t know enough, but that is exactly why you’re there. Show up every day willing to learn something new and ask lots of questions. That’s your job as an intern.