Lexie Becerra honed her communication, negotiation, and business development skills by supporting advertising sales, outreach, and operational projects for a national media company.
How did you get your internship?
I was already employed at ConnectComm Media as the Executive Assistant to the CEO when I secured this internship. At the time that registration for the PAH 493 “Internship” class opened, I realized that the work I was already doing lined up very well with the internship credit requirements. I met with the Internship Director and my supervisor to make sure that some of my responsibilities could be officially designated as internship work. The benefit of getting this internship through my work at ConnectComm was that I could apply for credit while continuing to work for a company that I was already invested in. I think that this worked out well for me because I could prioritize learning and developing new skills instead of getting acclimated to a new role and team.
Why did you choose this internship?
I chose this internship because it allowed me to step outside of my role as an assistant and focus on business development and outreach. I was already familiar with our company’s culture and operations, so I could get started immediately with real work. I also knew that working with our advertising clients and partners would force me to grow my communication and negotiation skills. Another reason I chose this internship was that I could see exactly how my work supported our mission of uplifting veterans and diverse businesses, which made the experience more rewarding for me.
What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience?
I did work related to business development, advertising sales, and partnership outreach. I managed and updated our advertising contact database, developed and sent promotional email campaigns, and monitored outreach performance data. I also joined team meetings to assist in strategizing for sponsored content and client engagement campaigns. One of my proudest accomplishments was finalizing and closing two advertising sales deals for major universities for our annual Top Veteran-Friendly Schools list. I also filled in to manage some partnership and conference tasks for a teammate who was out of the office due to a personal emergency, which taught me a lot about adaptability.
What skills did you enhance in your internship?
I practiced and refined my professional communication, relationship-building, and negotiation skills. I also learned how to craft targeted outreach messages in ways that convert into partnerships. I gained more confidence in reading and analyzing performance data, as well as using that information to refine our outreach strategies. I also think that I further strengthened my organizational and time management skills because I was simultaneously balancing a lot of different tasks, deadlines, and client needs. These are all skills that I know will transfer to any future job that I have.
What was your favorite part of your internship?
My favorite part of this internship was closing two large advertising deals that helped fund the magazine directly. It was a really satisfying feeling to see all of my hard work come together to make a tangible difference in the company’s bottom line. This was meaningful to me because it gave me more confidence in my ability to communicate with clients and deliver real results. It also made me realize that I really enjoy the process of relationship building and negotiating to help both sides benefit from partnerships.
What did you find challenging about your internship?
The most challenging part of my internship was having to take on additional, unexpected responsibilities when a coworker was out of the office due to a personal emergency. I had to step into her role and quickly respond to client communications and make sure that our partnership and conference tasks were still on track. This was stressful at first because I didn’t want to let her or the company down, but I learned that it’s really important to be adaptable and work as a team during difficult circumstances. I think that this challenge helped me grow as a professional and showed me that I’m more than capable of dealing with high-pressure situations.
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?
The internship experience definitely gave me more confidence that I want to pursue a career in business development, operations, or partnerships. I really enjoyed the challenge of outreach, negotiation, and working with clients to find mutually beneficial solutions. It also reaffirmed for me that I want to work for mission-driven organizations because I feel like the work that I do makes a difference. As a result, I plan to be more selective about roles and search for positions that combine business operations with relationship building. I feel much more prepared now because of this internship.