Kylie Soto gained both technical and professional skills as a marketing intern with Beach Riot Swim & Activewear.
What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience?
I had the pleasure of interning at Beach Riot, LLC as a marketing and e-commerce intern. I completed many tasks while interning such as creating TikToks, overseeing the user-generated content (UGC), finding influencers for each new line, and taking behind the scene photos at photoshoots. In addition, I had full access to the Instagram account where I managed all of the direct messages that came through, created content, engaged with the audience, and learned about their scheduled posting times. I also did product sampling where I would provide samples to brands such as Anthropology, Nordstrom, and Revolve.
Why did you choose this internship?
I chose this internship because I was impressed by Nicole, the CEO, and how she built the company. It was always a goal of mine to create my own clothing line, so I was impressed by her accomplishments and admired her tremendously. I enjoy social media and the fashion industry, so getting the experience at Beach Riot, I knew would help me choose a career path in the future. I had also reached out to a previous intern who told me about her experience and how much she loved the team, this helped ensure me that it would be a great fit.
What skills did you develop in your internship?
The skills I developed while interning are managing photoshoots, video editing, UGC, data analytics, Google sheets, project management, team leadership, product sampling, fashion styling, and social media. UGC, which is user generated content, was something I enjoyed learning about, especially with how prominent it is in today’s generation with influencers. I am extremely glad this internship was in person because it allowed me to complete hands-on tasks, which helped me develop new transferable skills. If you have the option of completing an internship remote or on-site I would 100% recommend on-site.
What was your favorite part of your internship?
The most satisfying part of my internship was seeing my ideas come to life. It was very rewarding to see the edits and stories I made actually be posted and attract an audience. It is nice to know that the marketing team, who is already working in the marketing career field, enjoy the work I created. By using my work, it makes me feel like I made contributions to the company in addition to learning from them.
What is something you found challenging about your internship?
Something I found most challenging about my internship was the feeling that I wasn’t providing enough or giving good ideas to the marketing team. I struggled with this multiple times and there was nothing said or done that made me feel that way, it was just my internal thought. I have learned that this feeling, imposter syndrome, is fairly common and people experience this all the time. I was able to address feeling this way by asking for feedback on the work I contributed to counter the narrative I had in my head that what I was doing wasn’t enough.
How did your Applied Humanities major coursework help prepare you for the internship experience?
I applied so many topics I learned in the PAH 383 Pre-Internship: Building Career Readiness course to have a beneficial outcome of my internship. I was open minded, requested feedback on how I was doing, communicated to my colleagues in a formal manner, spoke up if I needed further clarification or assistance, and always went out of my way to communicate face-to-face. I noticed that I was understood more when approaching a colleague face-to-face rather than in an email. By completing the PAH 493 Internship course, I felt ready and prepared for the professional setting work environment, which I had never been in before. I really can’t stress enough how important these courses are!
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?
My internship with Beach Riot has influenced my plans for the future because it has provided me with the realization that I enjoyed being in the apparel marketing career field. Going into it, I really didn’t have any idea what the future held for me career-wise. I am grateful for this experience because it provided me with an opportunity to explore a career path I was interested in to learn that I actually enjoy it and know I will be great at it. Becoming an intern was one of the best decisions I have ever made!