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Nurturing the next generation of makers and builders in manufacturing
At Flex, we create extraordinary products for our customers while empowering our teams to develop successful careers in the manufacturing industry.
By offering a complete set of specialized end-to-end manufacturing and related services in every region, we optimize the journey of our customers’ products across their entire lifecycle, from design and engineering and scaled production to post-production and post-sale.
Our diverse capabilities uncover limitless opportunities for our people, regardless of their background or career stage. We foster a growth mindset, encouraging our colleagues to pursue their career goals and reach their full potential.
Meet Adam McGuckin
Meet Adam McGuckin from Cork, Ireland, who joined our team in 2020 as a sales enablement specialist intern. Today, he is a marketing manager at one of our Global Services and Solutions locations, which encompasses our post-production and post-sale offerings.
These services, including forward logistics and value-added fulfillment and reverse logistics and circular economy, enable us to configure and deliver products according to specific market and channel needs and extend the life of products at scale.
Today, his role has evolved to include worldwide collaboration, which adds an exciting global dimension to his work and outstanding experiences for our customers.
In discussion, Adam shares his career progression—from intern to marketing manager—and how it is a testament to the adaptability and continuous learning that we value at Flex. We understand the importance of collaboration and networking, and we encourage our colleagues to foster these connections.
What were your initial expectations and goals when you started your internship journey at Flex?
During a college course, I learned why finding an internship program that fit my goals was essential to my future career. After I had looked at several programs and companies, I chose Flex, as one of my friend’s parents was working at the Flex site in Cork and was happy with their role. I remember I was nervous about the job interview, so I thoroughly researched the company. I felt confident and prepared going to my first interview.
Once I started as an intern, I first noticed that what you learn in college is not what you do every day. But as long as you are willing to learn, you can move into any role.
During the first few weeks as an intern at Flex, I tried to learn how to navigate a corporate job, learn our Ways of Working, how processes are defined and applied, and how each department fits into a massive company that serves several different industries.
It’s exciting to learn about the many opportunities in the manufacturing industry, and how Flex continues partnering with customers once products are market ready through our value-added fulfillment and circular economy capabilities.
Tell me about your experience transitioning from an intern to full-time employee.
Transitioning to a full-time job presented its challenges. In Ireland, the internship program lasts for eight months; depending on each situation, it can turn into a six-month part-time opportunity. This meant that after my internship, I worked as a part-time project coordinator until I finished college. Then, once I graduated, I was offered a full-time role, and I had to adjust to the increased responsibilities and expectations.
As I settled into my first job, I thought, “You’re not an intern anymore, and you’ve finished your training, so you should be ready for the responsibilities of a full-time job.” So, I became more active at work and embedded myself in the new role.
How did your role as an intern prepare you for current position and responsibilities?
My initial lessons learned as an intern was to build relationships, be trustworthy, and do the work. Regarding skills, I realized I wasn’t very outgoing about speaking in meetings, so as I became more involved in them, I started to feel comfortable contributing to the meeting’s agenda. After I moved into the full-time project coordinator role, I was confident enough to partake in and lead meetings, and sharing my thoughts became another great way of collaborating with teams.
The internship also taught me a lot about time management skills. I learned the importance of meeting deadlines and being proactive to ensure projects are on track.
Lastly, as an intern, I learned there are no wrong questions. It’s essential to ask the right questions and not be afraid to ask them.
Let’s talk about a project that helped your career progression and the challenges met along the way.
As a project coordinator, I worked directly with a customer, which was my first time partnering and interfacing with a customer. My role was to lead calls and plan actions, ensuring everyone was on time with the deliverables. During this experience, I saw firsthand the culmination of my work ethic, which I strengthened during my internship. I was proactive, keeping track of time management, communicating often, and asking questions.
For every step I have taken in my career, I think the biggest challenge is impostor syndrome. Even though I can see the results of my work every day, the impostor syndrome is still there at the back of my mind, pushing me to continue to be better and improve. How I solve this challenge is managing day-to-day tasks and continuously trying to develop my skills.
Marketing is not an easy or simple job, no matter how rewarding it might be. It’s constantly changing and requires continual adaptability and flexibility. Every day is different, as sometimes I’m working on three to four projects simultaneously.
Speaking in front of people, managing multiple communication channels, and keeping up with budgets, deadlines, and deliverables are other skills that helped my career progression at Flex.
Adam’s journey from intern to marketing manager showcases the importance of adaptability, continuous learning, and relationship-building in achieving career success. His experiences provide a roadmap for other early career professionals looking to successfully navigate a global company and embrace a growth mindset.
