Nicole Robertson developed her social media and digital marketing skills as an intern at Try The World.
How did you get your internship?
I got my internship through Handshake, which is the employment platform that I learned about through the Pre-Internship (PAH 383) course. I personally preferred the platform when finding my first internship as it is specifically geared towards college students and has a plethora of internship options. When comparing this to other employment platforms that have internship listings, I found it to be less overwhelming and oversaturated with applicants of all experience levels.
What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience?
During my internship my work focused primarily in social media marketing and brand growth. I was given all the passwords to the social media profiles and was expected to post and engage with the brand’s audience. Content creation was a major part of my internship, meaning I spent a lot of time researching popular trends, creating Tik Toks and Reels for Instagram and designing graphic images. Creating graphic designs that were both informative and aesthetic for Instagram was my favorite part of design and also gave me the chance to develop my marketing portfolio. Lastly, I got to experience influencer sourcing and learn about influencer marketing. Influencer marketing has become a significant part of modern-day brand marketing so being able to learn how to source influencers that reach your targeted audience is a useful skill.
What is unique about your situation that influenced your internship selection?
There are several factors that were unique about my situation that influenced my internship selection. During the summer going into my senior year, I completed my marketing minor and realized that marketing may be the career path I would want to pursue. I knew that not having any other marketing experience would make the internship application process harder, however I did not give up and spent a few weeks mass applying to multiple companies. Ultimately, I chose the internship offer that was best for me and allowed me to pursue the niche of marketing I would enjoy most.
What was your favorite part of your internship?
My favorite part was definitely creating graphic images to be posted on social media. I used Canva, Adobe Express, and Photoshop for designing both aesthetic and informative images to be posted on the brand’s social media pages. Creating content was my favorite part because it allowed me to be creative and gave me freedom to design graphic images and design the brand’s Instagram the way I wanted to. This was meaningful to me because I was able to bring art into my work and express my own personality through the content I created. Lastly I enjoyed being able to grow my digital design skills and learn how to improve my technical skills using Canva, Adobe Express, and Photoshop.
What did you find challenging about your internship?
There were two challenges I faced during my internship. The first challenge I faced during my internship was communication issues due to working remotely. I found communication to be challenging since anytime I had a question, needed clarification, or needed to inform my boss I had to message them through a messenger platform. This would create time delays, confusion, or result in different ideas between the social media team. Through this challenge I learned why communication is so important and how to make sure messages are both concise and clear.
The second challenge was due to working in a creative field and learning that not everyone has the same vision or artistic design you may have. Meaning that sometimes I would spend hours creating graphic designs or content just to have my boss not see my vision or design aspect. I found it to be a challenge in the beginning because art is both subjective to each person as well as personal to the artist. However in the end I was able to develop my content design skills by creating work that challenged me in a positive way.
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?
My internship experience has influenced my plans for my future because it made me realize that marketing and social media marketing is the career path I find intriguing and enjoyable. After I started my internship I immediately started searching for a 2nd part-time internship to continue to build my resume and portfolio. Due to me being a senior and about to graduate college I knew that this was the prime time to start laying the foundation for my future career so that after graduating it would be easier to find a job.
During the past few months I have worked simultaneously at two social media marketing internships, one being for a brand and the other for a marketing agency. In the next couple of weeks both of my internships will end and I have already found my next opportunity at a bio tech organization where I am hoping to begin my goal of pursuing a marketing career in the tech field.
What advice do you have for other students as they search for their internship?
My advice for other students who are searching for internships is to keep applying for opportunities in their desired field. While it may be difficult in the beginning when your resume looks empty or has nothing related to the path you want to pursue, don't give up. It's also ok to take unpaid internships in the beginning while you are building experience. Those opportunities may bring you closer to your goals and give you the experience to see what you like and don’t like.