Being an intern and doing great work will not necessarily translate into success in your marketing or advertising career if you do not also take conscious efforts to promote yourself. Effective self-promotion can be a very broad area, but at its basic core as an intern it involves, building good relationships with your new coworkers, letting others what you are working on or have accomplished so far and networking.
Building Good Relationships
This sounds elementary, who wouldn’t want to get along with their coworkers and make a good impression, but it involves more than that. You need to make a lasting impression of what you would be like if you worked for the company full-time. So that means doing things like staying late to finish up a project if the rest of your team is (don’t worry they will understand that you need to get back and do your school work if you have to). It means volunteering to pick up the morning coffee sometimes or going out for drinks after work (if your 21). Basically don’t intern and jet. That is a sure way to make yourself forgettable, the last thing you want to be in your marketing, advertising or design career.
Letting Others Know What You Are Working On
Doing great work. Going beyond what you are asked. Getting it done on time. These are all things that will make the work you do at your marketing or advertising internship impress. But if the right people don’t know about the work you are doing you may find yourself working hard with little recognition. Not that employers ever plan to or would want to overlook your hard work, but when they are busy it can happen. Rather than bemoan the fact, it is better that you are proactive and make sure your work is seen and known.
You can do that simply by sharing your work with others and getting their feedback. Marketing and advertising professionals love to give their input, so don’t just seek it from your internship supervisor, but from anyone in the office or agency who seems to have a minute to spare. This will not only help your work be remembered, but it will also help it improve and that after all is the goal of an internship.
Networking
Networking is similar to building good relationships and will require some of the same skills, but in this case it also means being conscious about creating future business contacts. Practice remembering everyone’s name and something about them, the work they do, their hobbies and their families. Save business cards. Ask their advice. Find a mentor. Use this time to build up your LinkedIn network.
Networking now may feel a bit silly while you are still in college, but it will prove very valuable to down the road in your career. So if it helps to think of it as making new friends then think of it that way, but with a purpose.
You also want to remember this means everyone you work with and run across. The new kid at the company everyone makes fun of could just as easily end up the director at another company, you never know where people’s paths may take them or what talents and strengths they could teach you so connect with everyone.
Conclusion
With these three simple concepts you will be able to make sure that your time as an intern in a marketing department or advertising agency, will not be limited to the experience you gain, but will also be unlocking doors into your future career.
