Looking For An Internship? Start Here!

Hello and welcome fellow marketing professionals!

Feeling a little overwhelmed and unsure where to start your internship hunt? I get it, and I've been there too. Finding the perfect internship can be a daunting and frustrating task. But I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be!

As an experienced marketer with multiple internships under my belt, I want to help you not only secure the internship of your dreams but also do so in a way that hopefully won’t make your head spin. So grab your favorite beverage and let’s get to work!

It All Begins With YOU

That’s right, it begins with you! At the end of the day, you don’t need just ANY internship, you need one that will help propel your career. I made this mistake early on in my career when I thought having any type of internship would still reflect well on my resume rather than searching for what I actually wanted from my internship. This resulted in me going through a couple of amazing and not-so-amazing roles. You live and learn, but that’s why I say start with YOU!?

Take a moment to think about which industries and marketing topics interest you the most - including your current hobbies and jot them down. There are no wrong answers here, if something even sounds remotely interesting to you, add it to your list. We’ll narrow this down later.?

Not sure what interests you? That’s totally ok! You are still early in your career, so I’m not expecting you to know everything at this moment. If you’re currently a college student, think about the marketing-related courses you’ve taken so far. Did any type of assignments or sections stand out to you? If so, jot those down and include a note as to why you found that particular section interesting. However, if you’re not a college student or have not taken any marketing-related courses just yet, try searching for common marketing job titles and read the responsibilities of those roles. From those jot down what sounds interesting to you.

Alright, now that you’ve written down your main interests, (don’t worry about if it’s messy), it’s time to think about your wants and dealbreakers for your role.?

Here are some questions to ask yourself:?

• What type of work environment do I want??
• Do I want to work for a small, medium, or large company?
• Do I want to work remotely, in the office, or hybrid??
• What type of feedback and management style am I most comfortable with? For example, do I prefer a more micromanaged role or a hands-off approach?
• Am I looking to get paid for this role and if so, what’s my range of desired pay? Not every internship is a paid role, so this distinction is key.?
• What type of team dynamic would best suit me? Do I enjoy working with a team and can I take feedback in a respectful manner?

• What are some things I definitely do NOT want in a role? This can include topics that don’t interest you, for example, you could really dislike social media marketing or being in the office.?
• If I want to work in the office, what’s the furthest I’m willing and able to commute?
• When can I begin working and how will this role conflict with my current schedule?

I promise you’re almost done here! The final step of this process is to find the keywords/job titles based on the wants, dealbreakers, and industries you listed previously. The good thing about internship postings is that companies will already use the term “marketing” in the title (such as “marketing intern”), so you’ll likely not have to worry too much about those types of keywords. What you’ll want to focus on is those industries and responsibilities/marketing categories that interest you.

Here are some common marketing-related internship titles and categories:

• Marketing intern
• Social media intern or social media representative
• Brand ambassador
• Growth marketing intern
• Email marketing intern?
• Digital marketing intern??

Yay! You’re all done with your list. Now let’s move on to our next step - beefing up your profiles/resume. ?

Beef Up Your Profiles & Resume

Having an effective profile is a key component to getting the role you want, as many recruiters look at your profile to get a more detailed description of your experience and your overall personality/passions. So, how do you make your profile stand out? Let your profile tell a story! You’ll want it to reflect who you are, what you do, and your passions.?

The challenging aspect of crafting your profile is that it can be easy to get lost in trying to sound professional. Remember, real people are reading your profile, so make sure to cater it to them. If it helps, try writing your profile as if you were writing it for a friend, this might help shift the focus to your audience rather than just yourself. Your “about” should be short, sweet, and to the point. At most, you’ll want to have two paragraphs - one to introduce yourself and the second to share what you’re up to professionally. Don’t forget about those keywords we talked about earlier. Part of a club or volunteer? Include this in your “about” section as well!

Another important item to feature is projects and pieces of work you’ve done in the past. Don’t have any work to show off just yet? No worries at all! Recruiters and prospects, don’t expect you to have a ton of experience right now, that’s what the internship is for. But a good way to show off your skills is to create work for yourself. What do I mean by that? If you’re on the creative side of marketing, try making some mock-ups of graphics and designs you think would be of interest, or even start a blog! This will help those prospects see where your strong suits are.?

Here are some of my recommendations for your profile:?

• Ask your friends, family, professors, and colleagues for recommendations: LinkedIn allows you to easily request recommendations from your connections. Or you can simply ask them to write a letter of recommendation for the role you’re looking for. Thus adding creditability to you!
• Get & post about your certifications: Think about what certifications and skills your dream role would have and begin trying to obtain those. Most colleges also have LinkedIn Learning, which can be a very powerful tool for learning new skills. However, places like HubSpot, SEM Rush, and Google have great free courses/certifications.?
• Increase your connections & personalize your connection requests: Having a ton of connections is great, but remember the idea here is quality over quantity. Try to connect with those in your desired industry, field, and college/school.?
• Try to be as active as you can: Being active on your profile shows that you have something to add to the field/industry. Now this doesn't mean you have to post every single day, but being active could be commenting on industry-related posts or engaging in LinkedIn groups. It all depends on what you’re most comfortable with.
• Make sure your resume is spot on & is featured on your profile: That means no typos and that your resume looks clean! I won’t go into too much detail here, as that is for another blog, but my best advice here is to have multiple people read your resume before sending it out, honestly, the more the merrier. Once you have a base resume, tailor each one to the job you are applying for. This can be minor adjustments like including those keywords.?

?? Bonus tip: Consider setting up a Google number and voicemail to use for job hunting. Doing so will allow you to not only avoid using your personal number, but you can choose a number based on your area (this is ideal if you have recently moved or are looking for a role in a new location). Plus, Google Voice has some great features such as call screening and call recording.?

Start Your Journey

Now you’re ready to begin your quest! There are a ton of great tools out there, but personally, I suggest using platforms such as LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and your college’s job search tool which will probably be Handshake (or KnightLine if you’re a UCF business student). Don’t forget to reference that list of keywords and interests, it’ll help you narrow down your search. In this phase, similar to when you were jotting down your interests, don’t try to limit yourself. If a role sounds even a little interesting, pin/save the opening for later. Once you’ve accumulated a good amount of openings, then you can comb through and pick which ones you actually want to apply for.?

Here are some of my recommendations for the search & application phase:?

• Make it known you’re open to work: LinkedIn has a great tool to let your connections know that you’re open to new opportunities, use it! And don’t forget to ask your connections to share this with people they know - the more eyes, the better.?
• Organize your applications: You’ll likely be applying to multiple roles, so it’s good to keep everything organized. Usually, I like to make a spreadsheet that lists application status, company website, name, location, point of contact, role responsibilities, how I applied, and the last update/note.
• Try reaching out to a recruiter team or career coach: Many places are able to aid you in your search, especially your college resources. Career coaches can help you find a role that’s fit for you and usually have connections in the field.?Additionally, recruiters often come later when you're looking for a full-time role, but recruiters may be able to help you form connections with potential companies looking for interns.
• Reach out to small companies: Sometimes companies are looking for interns, but haven’t gotten around to positing a position. It can’t hurt to shoot them an email or phone call to ask if they’re hiring. What I love about small companies is that you get the unique opportunity to build something from the ground up. In these cases, you’ll really want to show that you’re ready and eager to learn new things.?
• Attend your college internship fairs and other related events: I cannot stress this step enough! This is where you’ll be able to make connections with those in your field. Always bring your resume and business card to these events. If you’re going to see someone speak, go and introduce yourself afterward. Additionally, you’ll want to ask them a question or two about the presentation. Your goal here is to build rapport, not ask for a job up-front. Take the time to actually get to know the person before you ask about a position.?
• Don’t judge a position based on the title alone: In your search, you might be quick to dismiss an opening because the title isn’t too descriptive. But I encourage you to take a look at BOTH the title and description. I say this because although the title might not sound great, you’ll be able to find the actual responsibilities through the description. For example, many companies will list they are looking for a “Marketing Associate” but each description will be wildly different because it depends on what the company is looking for.?

?? Bonus Tip: Keep an eye out for internship scams and red flags. Do your research, and make sure your opportunities come from legitimate sources/companies. Read through the description thoroughly. Often times if something seems too good to be true, it is.?

Prepare For The Interview

Going to an interview can be a nerve-racking process, but with a little help, you'll be walking in calm and confident! Here are my best recommendations for having a killer interview:

Get Your Research Down

I know you might be thinking "duh," but this one step should never be skipped! It's important to know about the company and industry you're interviewing for. Take the time to understand the company's pain points. You can use these to help showcase how your role could offer a solution to those challenges.

A great resource to get you started will be the latest news on the industry. Sometimes the company will host it's own blog - read it and use those as a reference in your interview! I also recommend joining LinkedIn groups based on the industry. Doing so can help you get a better idea of the market itself.

Ask The Hard Questions

An interview is a great way for a company to learn more about you, but it's also a way for you to learn more about them and the company culture. You're testing out the role too, so don't be afraid to ask questions that help you get a better understanding of the role and responsibilities. Some questions I like to ask are:

• What does success look like for this role?
• Which departments will this role be communicating with on a daily basis?
• Can you tell me about a recent project the team has worked on?
• What do you enjoy most about your role?

Dress the Part

Having a professional look is extremely important when interviewing for your role (including your virtual background and lighting if the interview is virtual). Try to wear an outfit that is flattering, but not too flashy or tight. And if it's an in-person interview, I highly recommend wearing professional, but comfy shoes. As you may be walking around for long periods of time.

Additionally, you'll want to come prepared with note-taking items, your resume/business cards, and a portfolio (if needed). Some extra items I like to bring along with me are mints/gum, water, hand sanitizer, and chapstick (or some makeup in case of touchups).

Here are some things I recommend doing before the interview:

• Get there early: Give yourself plenty of time to park, practice, and find the building/office you'll be interviewing at.
• Turn off/silence all devices: This may be a given, but in the craziness of getting yourself ready, you may easily forget this step.
• Get yourself hyped up beforehand: This could be listening to your favorite song, reciting an affirmation, or doing a breathing exercise. Putting yourself in the right mindset will you appear and feel more confident.
• Always send a thank you email within 24 hours of the interview: Try to include something you spoke about during the session, as this will help the interviewer remember who you were and give them time to respond. People, especially in those hiring might be very busy and will take a little to respond. If you don't hear back within a week, try following up with them.

Don’t Let Rejections Keep You Down

Not every application will lead to a win and that’s ok. The important thing here is to keep your mind open and to continue your search. These things take great time and patience, so please be nice to yourself and try not to focus too hard on rejections. While you’re in the process of applying, I recommend the following:?

• Keep job alerts open: Keep the search going without having to sift through a long list of openings all the time.?
• Check-in with your connections regularly: You may never know when an opportunity may present itself, so remember to stay in touch with your mentors and connections
• Look for experience beyond internships: Experience can come in many different forms. Try joining a club, volunteering at your local organizations/non-profits, or taking a crack at freelance work. Doing so can give you a wide range of experiences that are not solely in the internship landscape.

That's A Wrap

?? Congratulations! You made it to the end of this article and you’re one step closer to getting the internship of your dreams. Looking for an internship takes time and patience, but you’ve got this and I believe in you! During your search, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’m always happy to answer any questions and offer advice.?

Thank you so much for reading and I’ll see you next time.