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The Working World

Internship Journal

Steaks, Shakes, and Real Estate

Posted May 2000

Brian Lannan wasn't interested in the restaurant industry and knew nothing about real estate before his internship with Steak n Shake Inc. But by the end of the summer, he had successfully managed a sit-down, diner-style restaurant and learned plenty about analyzing potential restaurant sites and acquiring property.

Lannan performed so well in the internship with the fast-growing Indiana-based restaurant chain that the firm created a full-time job in its real estate department just for him.

"The position they created was based on my own experience and talents," Lannan says, explaining that he interned during the summer between his junior and senior years at Indiana University and received the offer at the beginning of his senior year.

"I took some time to do a little more research, then accepted the job," he says.

Lannan, a liberal arts and management major at Indiana University, was able to spend the rest of the year finishing his courses free from the job-search stress most seniors endure.

Still, he acknowledges that the internship itself wasn't always stress-free—especially the six weeks he spent amid the clinking of china and the beeping of cash registers as manager of a restaurant in Bloomington, Indiana.

"Living the life of a restaurant manager was a little difficult," he says, explaining that the pace was often hectic and he was responsible for solving problems quickly and efficiently. "And the hours were a bit strenuous."

Lannan says that in the second half of his internship, he began to find his niche—he spent several weeks in the real estate department and several more weeks working in the firm's corporate offices. And each week, he and other interns met for classes in which the firm's vice presidents introduced them to the various departments within the company.

"I was also given the opportunity to expand a marketing project on my own and give a presentation," Lannan says. "Doing that helped bolster my communications skills and confidence."

Lannan adds that the more he worked at Steak n Shake, the more he liked the atmosphere and the people.

"My experience was well worth it," he says. "It gave me a great deal of exposure to a good company." And, of course, the start of a career.

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