What are some tips for someone who wants to land their first internship in marketing?
I'm looking to do my first internship this summer. #online-marketing
8 answers
Jason’s Answer
Good Afternoon Devetra
My name is Jason, and I work at Google in University Programs, and previously in career services at Stony Brook University. If you are looking for your first internship, I suggest to ensure that your professional brand is as good as it can be. Your professional brand reflects your professional reputation, what you are known for or even what you want to be known for. You best communicate this professional brand through things like your resume & references (past experience), etiquette when you are meeting professionals, etc. Coming across as an experienced, polite professional can help you a lot.
Resume: Ensure that your resume is formatted well and easy to read. Put activities/extracurriculars you are apart of on top of your school and relevant work experience to show that you are a well-rounded, accomplished individual. When listing what duties/responsibilities you held, be specific, demonstrate your impact, and use numbers when you can (e.g. Developed and executed new marketing strategy that increased sales by 20%).
Etiquette: This is not only what you say and how you act when you are networking, but also interview etiquette. Make sure you're dressed the part if you're at a mixer or a formal interview. It's usually better to be over-dressed than under-dressed (I showed up to my interview at Google in a full suit, while my interviewer was in jeans and a tshirt). You want to demonstrate that you are smart/fun/intelligent on paper, but also in person. There is no one magic thing to say, or one way to act, but it's how you carry yourself as a person.
I'm sure that your career center, friends and even professors can help in these regards. Don't be afraid to reach out to them for questions, as they are resources to help you. I know my explanations were pretty general, but I hope this helped a bit.
Hi! Mr. Wu, thank you for responding to my question. Your advice on Resume and etiquette for very informative. I have taken a lot of additional courses outside of school, but I just need to word it right on my resume.
Devetra
Blake’s Answer
I would recommend attending your universities career fairs. Even if it's not marketing, you will still get valuable work experience.
Thanks,
Blake
Anny’s Answer
Here are some tips that may help:
1. Recruiters may have relationships with your college and look for recommendations from the career center so be sure that the staff there know your career goals.
2. When attending a career fair, be sure to do research on the company beforehand and come up with relevant questions about the company. At the career fair (or mixer), be professionally dressed (everyone else will be) and have good conversations with everyone present so that you stand out.
3. Keep an eye out for recruitment dates for intern programs. Reach out to people you know (neighbor, aunt, sister's roommate) who have a strong connection with the company to walk in your resume.
4. Join student marketing associations and attend social/professional functions. I've spoken at these functions and let the audience know about intern programs/key dates.
Hope this helps!
Sarah’s Answer
For a marketing internship if you lack "real-world" experience, employers are always looking for transferable and soft skills. First, think about what areas of marketing interest you. Even a simple Google search can be helpful to learn more about the different career paths in marketing. Do you enjoy writing (maybe you'd be a good fit for a content internship)? Do you enjoy organizing (maybe you'd be a good fit for an event internship)? Do you enjoy data (maybe you'd be good at digital analytics)?
Once you have an idea of the types of roles that interest you, determine how your skills align with the position you want to apply to. Think about a time you showed initiative/leadership, positiveness/eagerness to learn, adaptability, professional communication skills or critical thinking. Relate those scenarios back to the job you are applying for and tailor your resume examples to that position. Also don't be afraid to use your network, chances are a family friend's company is hiring a marketing intern.
When you land an interview, be professional, dress professional and be prepared (bring your resume and questions to ask the interviewer)! There are tons of great articles out there to help you prepare. Always remember to send a "thank you" email -- I can't tell you how many people I have interviewed who have not sent a thank you. It's a simple gesture that shows the interviewer how much you appreciate their time.
Marketing is a fantastic profession because there are so many industries and various roles you can take. For example, I started in market research moved on to content/writing and now I focus on marketing campaign management. Each of my previous roles laid a foundation for my next.
Good luck!
Lindsay’s Answer
Marjorie’s Answer
Another key strategy is to highlight any work you've completed, whether it's professional or not. This could include school projects or any other work you've put significant effort into. For instance, I've created an online portfolio where I displayed my school projects along with detailed descriptions of each one. This not only demonstrates the way I approach creating marketing plans and strategies, but also provides tangible proof of my marketing skills. So, consider adding a link to your portfolio in your resume and cover letters.
Rachael’s Answer
When it comes to your resume, consider tailoring your past experiences, whether from college or previous jobs, to align with the specific internship you're pursuing. This customization can make your resume more appealing to the company offering the internship. While it might seem like a daunting task, tools like Chat GPT can be extremely beneficial. It can not only answer all your queries (including how to secure an internship) but can also assist in drafting your resume, ensuring it contains the keywords that companies are on the lookout for.
Keep an open mind and be willing to intern at any company that you believe holds value. Internships can be a stepping stone towards securing your first full-time job. Best of luck!
Amber’s Answer
Every business needs marketing, so even if you haven't landed a formal "marketing" internship at a big corporate company or agency, there are likely ways to get involved in marketing at any business where you may have landed a job. For example, if you're working at an ice cream shop over the summer, ask to help design the seasonal menu board, window displays, or write the descriptions of the flavors--even better, compare the sales of the shop, or even the specific flavors you feature in your designs, and see if they increase after you make your changes!
Reposition your work experience on your resume to emphasize your involvement with marketing/sales for the businesses you work for and landing a formal marketing internship may be easier.
Even if marketing wasn't your primary responsibility, demonstrate your understanding of how the work you did affected sales and revenue for the business. Make sure you quantify your impact! Were you a bartender in college? Did you find that using specific phrases or words to describe the specialty cocktails increased sales 5x? Did you mow your neighbor's lawns in high school? Great! How did you grow your client list and by how much? Did you create flyers and drop them in your neighbors' mailboxes? Did you create a "referral program" where a client could earn a discount if they referred you to friends or family? These are all examples of marketing that might help to describe when you're interviewing!