One of the first things I noticed when I stepped into Assedo’s office for my interview was the wall print in the lobby area that says, “We take public outreach personally.” I didn’t know exactly what this meant when I applied, but I would soon learn that the Assedo team embodies that phrase.
I never imagined a consulting firm quite like Assedo Consulting. Honestly, I didn’t know consulting firms like Assedo existed before internship. Frankly, it never really crossed my mind, but I’m glad that I’m getting this new experience. I have been in the office for about a month and have quickly learned what Assedo does on a day to day basis.
Assedo’s overall purpose is to provide public outreach and communications support services for planning, design and construction projects. The first thing that stuck out to me was how much that phrase made sense because I’ve seen in action how Assedo interacts with the community. I remember overhearing conversations when community members would call the office with questions about notices they received regarding projects in their area. It was interesting to me how the team would stop their busy day to speak to someone, for as long as necessary, until all their questions were answered. This showed me how important creating a rapport with the community is and that it is one of Assedo’s top priorities.
Another big thing I learned about Assedo was all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes for client project meetings, community meetings, and now, amid the COVID 19 pandemic, virtual meetings. On my first day I was shown the storage room, where the team keeps all the meeting essentials. Camera, maps, boards, handouts and many more were overflowing on the shelves. Many of Assedo’s projects are intricate and complex, these meetings require a lot of materials and attention to detail so that nothing will be missed or left behind. Assedo is there to bridge the gap between these big projects and the community, so the team must be prepared for whatever they are asked. I am hoping to dive deeper into how client, project, and community meetings work to get a sense of the final product of the work I see behind the scenes every day.