recently, i was fortunate to have to learning experience that helped me grow in many different ways. I was selected to become a Stickell Intern through the American Advertising Federation. The AAF placed me with Valassis Communications, Inc., a marketing company located in the Detroit area in Michigan. this was truly one of the greatest learning experiences I’ve had: not only did I move to a new area and meet new people, but I grew as a person and a professional.
at Valassis, I interned dually in the Promotion Distribution Procurement and Newspaper Information Services departments. I learned a lot about the process of buying and negotiating media for clients. I worked with various newspapers across the United States and with various marketing products and services including ROP ads, FSI’s (free standing inserts), co-op coupon books, and more. I helped fax over 600 newspapers to confirm information about their circulation and contact over 1500 newspaper asking about their schedule for holiday publishing. I also implemented a scanning process for all co-op contracts to facilitate easy electronic access within my departments. I worked on several client-specific projects, including projects for many large corporate businesses. I also worked on an internship project focused how Valassis could be environmentally sustainable and many of our ideas from the project have already begun to be implemented in company operations.
through these projects, I learned what it’s like to work in the field of advertising and marketing. there were so many acronyms used in my job, I made a list of 30 or so just so I could learn the trade terms. in addition to terms, I learned how the process of media buying and negotiating is completed, from beginning to end. I also learned about being a responsible professional. this kind of real-life professional experience supplemented what I’ve been learning in my communication courses perfectly.
outside of my internship itself, I had so many experiences and adventures that helped me grow. I lived by myself for the first time in a fully-furnished apartment about ten minutes away from Valassis. I made some lifelong friends with other interns and we had so many adventures together! we played whirlyball, a game where you are on teams of five, each in a bumper car called a whirlybug, and you drive around and shoot a whiffle ball into your opposing team’s basket. my department at Valassis attended a Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball game one day during the week. the interns also hit downtown Detroit, including the famous Greektown, where Greek food delicacies like saganaki and spanakopita abound. I also traveled to northern Michigan and explored Crystal Lake, where the water is so clear you can see logs in the bottom of the lake, Lake Michigan and the old Frankfort Lighthouse, and the giant sand dunes of Sleeping Bear Dunes. we went to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to see a concert in the University of Michigan college town. we traveled to Toledo, Ohio, for the grand opening bash of a Melting Pot fondue restaurant. we also crossed the border to Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and explored Canadian town for a weekend. we also went to a giant country music concert in Ford Field in downtown Detroit, where the Detroit Lions play and where the Super Bowl was held a few years ago.
in Michigan, there were no reservations. we were determined to have fun and experience all sorts of different things to grow and learn about the world around us. these experiences that I had while I was interning made my summer experience so beneficial, exciting, and fun. learning does not just have to be in a classroom or at a job site: learning can be from experiences and people you meet along the way.
internships are a learning experience that I think all college students should experience.
tips on finding your perfect internship:
- start early with your research. internship deadlines vary from organization to organization, so start your search early. look at internship opportunities at companies that are leaders in your field of interest. for instance, I found a list of some of the top advertising agencies today and from that list, I went to the company websites and looked at some of their internship programs. if they didn’t have a program, I emailed them and asked them if they had any opportunities. also, be organized in your search and know when the deadlines are and what is required for each organization. I contacted over thirty organizations either with my internship application or an email asking about their internship opportunities.
- have your resources available. have your resume ready and have many professionals or professors look it over to help you make improvements. if your internship requires a letter of recommendation, ask your professor or supervisor at least two weeks in advance: don’t make them rush to write a letter for you at the last second.
- don’t get discouraged. a lot of companies don’t have time to respond to every email, so don’t get discouraged if you receive little response. also, be optimistic about your search, even if you start to receive rejection letters from companies. you’re not going to get every internship, but if you work hard in your search, a great internship opportunity could come your way.
- don’t be afraid to get outside of your comfort zone. I knew from the start of my internship search that I wanted to go far away for my internship. don’t be afraid to apply to internships that are far away in proximity: many internship hosts provide housing or will give you suggestions on finding a place to live. when you’re interning, don’t be afraid to travel, make friends and contacts at your job and outside of your job, ask questions and soak up information. the point of an internship is to learn about your field of interest.
- apply to lots of organizations. believe it or not, I applied to FIFTEEN different companies for my summer internship. thirteen of the fifteen organizations did not offer me an internship. it is important to apply to lots of places to have a better chance of receiving one of the positions.
- be prepared for interviews. I had two interviews for two separate internships, one in advertising and one in public relations. one was a phone interview with a PR firm in New York City. phone interviews are a great way for you to show your personality to the internship selection committee; plus, you can have all sorts of references spread out in front of you to reference while your on the phone, like notes of answers to common interview questions, your resume and application, and more. I also had an on-site interview with an ad agency in Kansas City. I printed out a list of some of the most common interview questions and practiced how I would answer those questions. I also did extensive research on both of the companies that I interviewed with so that I could demonstrate a knowledge of these organizations. also, be prepared with a few questions that YOU want to ask the company about their operations or the internship itself.
this summer was one of the greatest ever. I had the opportunity to learn, grow and experience new things. I hope I can help other college students have a similar opportunity.
