Being an Artian Intern: Learning How to Manage a Podcast
My name is Abigail, and I’m the current podcast marketing intern at the Artian. This is my second internship in marketing and my first time working behind the scenes on a podcast. Before the internship started, I was excited to be working for a company that was doing such groundbreaking work, but I was nervous that I didn’t know enough about podcasts or marketing to be successful. However, my nerves were unfounded. Despite my lack of experience, the Artian provided me with all the tools and resources I needed to do my best work. Throughout this process, I have gotten the opportunity to learn how to manage a team (and my boss), take the initiative to pitch an idea, and create a marketing plan from scratch.
As an intern, I’m a very type-A person. I like to have everything organized and to get everything done. This was great because interns need to pay close attention to details, seeing as they won’t be micromanaged. My past work experience was also in startups, which helped a lot, as I was prepared to work at a fast pace and willing to learn whatever the company needed. Other interns could also benefit from being open-minded, flexible, and driven. If you’re a good communicator and like challenges, you’ll enjoy the role a lot.
I think one of the greatest aspects of an internship with the Artian is the culture they foster and their genuine desire to share and mentor the younger generation. Nir Hindi, the company founder, took the time to meet with me every morning to discuss the day ahead and then every week we sat and discussed how the internship had been going. The Artian also planned meetings and outings so that I got the opportunity to meet with other employees (both current and present) and feel like I was part of a community. The company fosters a culture where a lot is expected of their interns, but the company invests heavily in developing your skills in return. As a college student, I learn theoretically about so many things, but my work allowed me to learn in a hands-on way and develop important skills for the rest of my career, like how to manage people or how to communicate with my boss.
Also, being an intern there is a fantastic opportunity to try out a career path that you might be interested in. This is because the company gives interns a high level of responsibility and autonomy, so interns are doing real marketing work, whereas, at other companies, I would just be making coffee. Now I can comfortably plan my career post-graduation because I can imagine the kind of work I’d be engaged in.
At the beginning of my internship, I was overwhelmed trying to learn everything about the Artian and making a podcast. Most of my work has surrounded managing podcast production, from finding speakers to editing transcripts to managing social media accounts. When my boss first laid out everything he wanted me to do, I thought it was impossible. However, as I reflect on all the work I’ve been able to accomplish throughout my internship, I have realized how much knowledge I have gained.
I have learned how to juggle multiple projects at once, create engaging promotional material (check out the podcast teaser I created my first month), create and execute a marketing plan, and much more. When my boss or I had an idea, we would discuss it and make an execution plan. Then, we would meet up every day to discuss its progress, so I had independence in my work and the support I needed. I am very grateful for the team’s willingness and genuine interest in my success and my ideas. They also were so supportive of my work — I was beyond excited the first time I heard them mention my name in the credits of the podcast. Other companies seem to want interns just to complete the tasks that no one else wants to do; this is not the case at The Artian. Everyone at the Artian is willing to support interns and help them learn, but they also believe in their capabilities and allow them to work independently and consider their ideas.
Now that I have received so much support from everyone at the company, I can confidently do the kind of work that most companies wouldn’t allow me to do until I was years into my career. I am very proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish and know these skills will help me immensely in my career.
-Abigail Dyson
Find more about Abigail on her LinkedIn profile!
