Core Values in Action: A Reflection on Our Credera Internship

Rahul Guhan and Lauren Burch

Core Values in Action: A Reflection on Our Credera Internship

Humility, excellence, integrity, tenacity, and people first—all values embedded within the foundation of Credera’s culture and within each employee. These are the five core values Credera lives out with every project, person, and situation.

People first is the Credera core value that embodies how we treat each other—with respect and inclusivity. While all values were present during our time interning at Credera, we were impressed with the constant demonstration of the people first core value and the impact it had on our internship experience. We’d love to share a few ways we saw this core value throughout our internships.

Early Core Value Demonstration

Rahul Guhan: Almost immediately after I received my internship offer, Sachin Malik, a senior consultant in the Chicago office, introduced himself and offered to guide me through my decision-making process. His offer was a welcome relief, as I had many questions about Credera, and the recruitment season proved to be stressful and overwhelming.

I was surprised to receive so much support and kindness—not to mention Sachin’s time—as an intern candidate still considering their offer.

Around the same time, I received a LinkedIn invitation from Credera’s Global CEO Justin Bell. This invitation was another surprising gesture. At first, I wondered, why would the CEO want to connect with a college student like me? I later realized Justin connected with me because he leads with a people-first mentality—because he saw my value and me as an equal. Suffice it to say, I felt I made the right decision joining Credera.

Lauren Burch: Several months before the internship program kicked-off, all incoming interns were given the opportunity to schedule coffee chats with leaders from various employee resource groups (ERGs). I personally scheduled three coffee chats and had impactful, one-on-one conversations with representatives of CredColor, Credera Women's Network, and CrederaThrive. While each conversation was different, there was one overarching takeaway from all of them: you belong here. Feeling cared for and connected with these communities prior to my first day allowed me to begin the internship program with more confidence and excitement. Additionally, this initial exposure gave me the opportunity to develop impactful relationships with my future colleagues months before I stepped foot in the office. Little did I know, I had just experienced Credera’s people first core value.

On-the-Job Confirmation

Rahul Guhan: Throughout my internship, the people first core value has been abundantly apparent in the Houston office culture, specifically through Dbrav Dunkley, the Houston market lead. When Dbrav enters the office, he waves at everyone and says good morning. While this may seem like a simple thing, my preconception of an executive was that they would not have time to interact with people in a lower position, especially with interns.

You can imagine how surprised I was when Dbrav took time out of his busy schedule to have a coffee chat with me. During this time, we discussed my career goals and interests, as well as my personal hobbies and college experience. It was clear he genuinely cared about my career and my happiness. This specific story coupled with other experiences from this summer have culminated in me seeing my Credera colleagues as a family rather than co-workers. I never thought going to work at Credera would feel like going to school to see my friends, to a place where I am inspired and encouraged to be my authentic self.

Lauren Burch: I've spent almost my entire life in the Dallas area. Apart from attending an out-of-state college, Texas is all I've ever known. For this reason, I am interested in relocating after I graduate college. Denver has always been a city I've been drawn to, and I knew going into the internship I wanted to get connected with Credera staff in Denver. Upon communicating this to my onboarding peer, Melanie Beecher, she provided me with four names of people she knew in the Denver office, ranging from the consultant to the manager level. I reached out to all of them and within two days, had meetings scheduled with each of them.

More than just willing, they were enthusiastic to learn more about me and share their experiences living, working, and thriving in Denver. This really embodies the people first value Credera prides itself on by treating each other with care and seeking to understand their interests.

Making Our Mark

Rahul Guhan: It is apparent that people at Credera genuinely want to understand each other and connect with their colleagues outside of their project work. In the office, people will come to my desk and ask if I want to grab coffee or pull me into conversations if they see me by myself. After these gestures were extended to me, I wanted to do the same for others.

Halfway through the internship program, several new full-time hires were onboarding to the company in the Houston office. On a particularly quiet day in the office, I noticed one of the new hires was working by himself over lunchtime. I went up to him, introduced myself, and asked him to lunch. Even though he was busy, I was proud of myself for extending the offer. This is not something I would typically be comfortable doing, but my desire to demonstrate a people-first mentality gave me the courage I needed.

Lauren Burch: Working in an environment that encourages investment in each other over competition with one another has impacted the way I approach relationships at work. I have felt so poured into by each person I connected with this summer.

The level of investment and care I experienced makes me want to reciprocate that feeling for others. I started to do this by initiating opportunities to strengthen relationships among the Dallas intern cohort. This included coordinating happy hours, participating in an intern book club, and being intentional and inclusive in my outreach to others. I also made myself a resource for supporting the campus recruiting team with my university because I want to give back to the next generation of students and future Credera interns. Finally, I felt so inspired by Credera’s core values, I volunteered to co-author this blog post and share these experiences with you!

A Lasting Impact

Rahul Guhan: I have not interned at other companies, but Credera has set the precedent for how I want to be treated by future employers. As someone who draws energy from other people, I am thankful for the people-first mentality my teammates have shown me. It made me feel valued, known, and like I was not just another number or disposable summer intern.

Lauren Burch: Credera has provided me with a different internship experience than other companies I have interned with. Not only because the core values are lived out daily, but because the work I am doing is substantial, I am treated like an equal, and the connections I made are genuine and extend far beyond the workplace.