What it’s Really Like to Intern at Chick-fil-A
By: Kiana Williams
Kiana Williams is an MLT Career Prep Alum and student at North Carolina A&T State University (C/O 2020). In 2019, Kiana completed an internship with Chick-fil-A, Inc. in the Supply Chain Department. In this interview, Kiana highlights the strong community and caring culture that Chick-fil-A cultivates.
Q: How long have you been with Chick-fil-A?
I interned in Atlanta, Georgia, from May-August 2019 and am currently working as a server at a Chick-fil-A in Greensboro, NC.
Q: What was your favorite thing about your department within Chick-fil-A?
My favorite part about interning with the Supply Chain Department was the autonomy I was granted to complete my project. I also appreciated the genuinely caring culture I experienced throughout the duration of my internship. Chick-fil-A is dedicated to building and maintaining strong relationships. I felt that my intern coach, intern coordinator, mentors, and team members all wanted me to have a successful summer and that is truly what made my summer at Chick-fil-A so special.
Q: Tell me about a time you contributed to something greater than yourself at Chick-fil-A.
While interning at Chick-fil-A, I was asked to complete an important project that would leave a legacy at the company. My project contributed to the maintenance of a robust supply chain for the company and will be used for years after my internship.
Q: How has Chick-fil-A supported you in carving your career path? How has Chick-fil-A helped you turn you into a pro?
My time at Chick-fil-A left me with one lesson I will never forget, the importance of stewardship. Stewardship is about taking care of the things that have been entrusted to you. Chick-fil-A helped reignite the fire in my spirit to go boldly after the desires of my heart and make the most of everything given to me. I believe this critical lesson is one I would have struggled to learn elsewhere. My internship at Chick-fil-A also showed me the importance of surpassing expectations. The project I was tasked with completing for my internship was particularly challenging because there were pre-existing versions of the project. My biggest challenge was to push myself beyond the expectations of my intern coach and sourcing team to deliver a unique and outstanding project for my team.
Q: What advice do you have to give for those interested in a career at Chick-fil-A?
The biggest piece of advice I can give to those interested in a career at Chick-fil-A is to be GENUINE in wanting to learn and give back. The company inspired me to take a look at sustainability in a way I hadn’t before. Chick-fil-A values community engagement and making an impact in big and small ways. It is important to understand that Chick-fil-A is more than a restaurant. Chick-fil-A has mastered how to make big business feel small. They completely changed the way we experience quick service and our expectations of how a customer should be treated. If you have a genuine interest in understanding how they created such a unique business, then Chick-fil-A is the right company for you.
Q: In what ways are your experiences with Chick-fil-A similar to your experiences with MLT?
Both organizations place a strong emphasis on the importance of creating relationships and maintaining contacts.
Q: Tell me about a cool thing you get to do at work every day?
Working at Chick-fil-A, I had the opportunity to interact with and get to know the vice presidents of my department every day, which is a rare experience in corporate America, especially for someone my age.
Q: What does winning look like day-to-day in your role?
For me, winning in my day-to-day role looks like consistent rigor and dedication to solving problems while maintaining a cool head. I have realized during my seven months of working full time (co-op for five months with Georgia Pacific and a two-month internship with CFA) that I have to set my own work pace and quality standards because ultimately, it is up to me to take control of my career.