Making The Most Of Your Agency Internship
By Amy Wheaton
If you’re a student thinking about a marketing career, an internship or co-op placement at a marketing agency can be a fantastic opportunity to get your foot in the door, learn about the industry in a fast-paced environment, and try on different roles to find out what you like best. During a good work placement experience, you’ll grow your skillset, make some valuable connections, and maybe even snag a full-time job offer once the internship wraps up.
To make the most of your work term, we’ve compiled some tried and true tips from VERB’s interns (many of whom have gone on to become full-time employees!) and their managers.
1. Build relationships.
Think of your internship as an extended networking opportunity. This is prime time to rub elbows with some industry movers and shakers — folks who can really help to elevate your career once your work term ends, both on the client side and the agency side. Don’t be shy! Send LinkedIn connection requests to your colleagues and management, introduce yourself around the office or on Slack, and get involved in team events.
If you’re someone who gets a little nervous introducing yourself or getting on the boss’ radar, practice a quick elevator pitch or some talking points to help fill any awkward silences — your school and major, what you’re working on, what you’re interested in, what you like to do outside of work.
And relax — they hired you, after all, so they want you on the team!
2. Ask for feedback.
Internships are a great learning opportunity, but only if you seek out and apply feedback — not just from your bosses, but from your teammates, too. Some employers are more proactive about delivering feedback than others, so if a few weeks pass by and you haven’t heard about how you’re doing, schedule a quick 15-minute check-in with your manager to get their take on your performance.
If they share something constructive with you, make a note of it, then go away and think about three ways to address the feedback and improve moving forward.
Get comfortable asking your teammates about their experience, too. How did they get into their current role? What tips would they recommend to help you succeed? Generally, people love to talk about themselves, so feel free to grab coffee and chat with some friendly teammates to get their thoughts and tips.
3. Take notes.
Speaking of notes: take lots of them! Get in the habit of taking notes during a meeting (if nobody else volunteers, chances are they assume you’ll be doing it.) Keep track of points that are covered, action items, and next steps. And jot down any learnings from your daily work, too — you will likely be picking up bits of information all day long, so make a note of anything interesting you observe or hear about so you can dig into it later.
4. Set mini milestones.
Let’s say you have a summer internship on a team of copywriters. Your manager should work with you to set milestones for performance during that time, but if not, you can set your own schedule for success. Maybe by the end of the first month you’re writing copy that requires internal review, by the end of month two you’re sending copy straight to the client, and by the end of the summer you’re able to hop on status calls and make recommendations proactively, or you’ve supported on a content strategy deliverable.
The key is to keep your milestones and goals progressive, so you’re building on your new skills throughout the duration of your internship, gaining more responsibility and autonomy as your term continues. At the end of your internship, you should be able to look back and see clearly how you’ve grown professionally.
5. Spend time in the office.
Some workplaces have shifted to a fully-remote model, while others are back to in-person office hours or a hybrid approach. If your internship is taking place at an agency with an in-person option, make sure to head into the office at least a few times a week to get some face time with your team and soak up the culture. At best, you’ll get to spend time in an inspiring, supportive environment surrounded by great coworkers. Worst case? You’re learning what you don’t want in a permanent position.
The pros and cons list for working from home versus in an office setting is long and hotly debated, but it’s easier to form connections and friendships when you’re spending some time together in person. Save the work-from-home days for occasions when you need to put your head down to focus on a big task or meet an important deadline, and try to get as much time in the office as you can during your internship.
6. Keep up with trends.
No matter which agency you’re interning for, the universal truth about marketing is it’s always changing and new trends, channels, algorithms, and behaviours are constantly emerging. As one of the youngest and/or most junior people on the team, you have an important perspective to offer. In addition, clients look to their agency partners as guides for which trends to hop on and which to brush off — and agency teams are responsible for staying up-to-date and knowledgeable about best practices and the next big thing.
Subscribe to industry email newsletters, follow marketing accounts on TikTok or Instagram, and bookmark a few great blogs or resources that you can check recently to keep an eye on trends relevant to your work. If there’s an opportunity to attend conferences, workshops, or forums related to marketing, get on those guest lists. Soak up as much information as you can and you’ll be seen as a smart, valuable, and engaged resource, both amongst your colleagues and with your clients.
7. Have a buddy and a mentor.
Your relationship with your mentor is a valuable one. They can answer your questions about getting started in a marketing career, suggest resources and training to help you grow your skill set, and work with you during your internship to make sure you succeed. They can also provide advice about day-to-day issues like time management, handling stress, or coping with feedback. Having a good mentor can help make your internship much more rewarding and productive.
In addition to having a mentor, some agencies will also connect you with a “buddy” during onboarding. While a mentor’s role is to help you with your career path, a buddy can help you navigate office life. When is it better to set up a Zoom meeting versus booking the boardroom? What’s the best place to get coffee near the office? Who tends to be grumpy in the morning and should be avoided until after lunch? If your employer doesn’t assign you a buddy during onboarding, chances are you’ll have a friendly officemate who naturally assumes the role.
8. Be enthusiastic.
You’re going to have good days and bad days, wins and challenges, great meetings and tough calls. The biggest and most important thing that sets apart great interns is attitude. Show up with a smile, say yes to extra tasks, tackle challenges enthusiastically, and treat everything as a learning opportunity. Ask lots of questions — nobody expects you to know everything or to make zero mistakes, but they will expect a degree of interest, excitement, and enthusiasm about your internship. Develop a problem-solving mindset and you’re guaranteed to do well and get noticed.
Amy Wheaton is the Director of Marketing at VERB Interactive — a leader in digital marketing, specializing in solutions for the travel and hospitality industry. Find out more at www.verbinteractive.com.
