Kiet has been a marketing intern at Homebase for six months, but he also helps out in many other departments. Currently, he is a senior at the Foreign Trade University, finishing all of his classes before graduating.

Could you describe what you do at Homebase?  

‍Right now I'm in the marketing department at Homebase. My role here is behind the scenes, focusing on the tech work, like managing data, setting up dashboards, etc. Before this, I'd filled many roles such as posting, writing, and designing. As more people come in, I have more time to focus on my main role in the marketing department.

What do you envision the company to be in the future?

We are getting bigger, with more and more talented people coming aboard. I believe we will attract more talents in the future from Vietnam and from all over the world. Hopefully, we'll become a unicorn company in Vietnam, and later on, Southeast Asia.

Could you give me a funny or exciting moment working at Homebase?

The people at Homebase are just so nice; everyone is always helping one another. Thanks to this, I adapted really quickly. After my first week, I was going about as though I'd worked here for months. This made working pleasant in general. I find funny moments in our everyday work. Whenever someone makes a joke at work, everyone would laugh. These are some of the best moments.

What do you like most about Homebase?

The three things that I like the most about Homebase: the environment, the people, and the mission. What I appreciate most is that even the senior employees, who are very busy, can take the time out of their day to help you when you need it. The typical top-down working hierarchy you find in many other places isn't here at all. Because of that, there aren't many other places like Homebase. We also try so many new things. Take the HR department; they've been working hard on a new website, along with game sessions to keep everyone entertained. Right now, the only people I can talk to are my computer, my mom, and my brother, so I appreciate any distraction from work.

How has working at Homebase helped with your career path?

Before coming here, I wasn't certain of what I wanted to do for my career. I knew I liked marketing, but I needed to narrow it down. After nearly six months, I began to form some ideas in my head while working hard every day to improve my general and technical skills. I'm just an intern now, so I don't know if I'll stay at Homebase and strive for a senior position or go somewhere else. I'm happy working here at the moment, but maybe in the distant future, I'll have the resources to build my own startup. My current plan is to work in a place that fits the category of marketing, tech, and startup. Homebase has helped me realize that I enjoy working at startups because of the pace and environment. There are many people my age who are still uncertain of the future. That's why I feel very fortunate to have a job and an idea of what I will enjoy doing in the future.

What is something that you think you can only learn at Homebase?

I think it's the collaboration. When I was working in school clubs, every individual only focused on developing themselves because they were young and eager to prove their ability. Joining Homebase, I have come to fully understand that you can't work by yourself. When you collaborate with others, not only do you get the job done faster, but you can also learn from the person you're working with. That's also really hard to achieve in bigger companies with a rigid structure. The departments are really set in stone, so you can't just go to the legal department as a marketing intern and ask them questions or give suggestions. Here, if you know something about the other departments, you are free to contribute. This is also why I would prefer working in a startup.

What would you share with people who are considering joining Homebase?

Right now, many young people in Vietnam want to work for big companies. However, after a couple of years, most drop out because they can't adapt to the harsh environment. I believe working in a startup is a better place to start. There're many different tasks for you to work on. Though it might give you a lot of pressure, you will learn to manage your time, workload, and skills. In the future, if someone asks you to do a task that doesn't relate to your department, you will have been equipped with the necessary skills to do it from the startup experience. Above all, the "work hard, play hard" environment creates a valuable balance, and the startup sort of grows with you.