Landing that first internship in your field is a moment every university student dreams of. With the way that things worked out over the last year and half, my intern opportunity came to life in a different way than I had ever pictured.
As a third-year student in the Communications and Media program at the University of Calgary, It was important for me to build on my real-world experience outside of campus walls. During my time as a student, I’ve become excited about marketing and figuring out how I can put my creativity to use in the business world. As my 2022 graduation date approaches, making the most of learning opportunities continues to be a passion of mine.
Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.
One of the good things that came out of being laid-off from my part-time job during the pandemic was that the cards were in my hands to choose what I wanted my next steps to be. Although the uncertainty of job hunting in these circumstances was a challenge, it was a blessing in disguise. My search led to discovering Venture for Canada, a virtual network of support for students seeking work experience and professional development. That journey brought me here to Wingman Direct Marketing where I landed my position as a remote Marketing Intern.
Integrating and adjusting to an office environment that is more of a concept than it is a physical place is interesting – It’s funny to think that searching for experience outside of campus walls turned into becoming increasingly familiar with the four walls of my makeshift home office. I’ve become more resilient having had the opportunity to fine-tune my digital communication skills, task management abilities, and self-accountability, which are skills I will carry long after my days as an intern are through. Along with these skills I learned some bigger lessons that I’m excited to share with you today.
1. Working with Clients is Never “Just Business”
Building a relationship with your clients is the key to understanding the best way you can work together towards their vision. Not only do you need to understand what they do, who their audience is, and what their goals are, but you need to get to know the people behind the company. How do they best receive ideas, information, and feedback? What are their personal concerns about moving forward and what does continual growth look like to them? When you can put yourself in your client’s shoes you will find better ways to work with them and come up with creative solutions that get the job done.
2. Teamwork makes the Dream Work
Your crew members are an amazing source of information and support. Everyone has a different background of life and work experience that you can learn from and use to enhance your own skillset. Projects become so much better when they pass before a couple sets of eyes, and mistakes get caught before they are sent to the client. I have always found that collaborative team environments where you can bounce things around the collective idea box fuel creativity the best. Plus, having the ability to share the workload on big projects breaks tasks up into bite size pieces that enable us to have things ready on a tight schedule.
3. Trust your Instincts!
It is so easy to doubt yourself when you’re the new intern. When your team has years of experience and education that you haven’t had the chance to build yet it can be intimidating to share your opinions. What you must remember that you are there for a reason – you have skills and knowledge that only you can offer, and they want to hear it! What you don’t know you will learn along the way, so don’t sweat the small stuff. Every day is a new opportunity to learn from each other.
Thank You Wingman!
I am so fortunate to have been able to spend the last couple of months getting to do what I enjoy: helping local business owners tell their brand stories, engage with their audiences, and develop their online presence. The personal growth I have achieved during this time has left an impact and I’m so grateful for the mentorship and support the Wingman Crew has given me.
If you are looking for a way to grow your business and work with a solutions-oriented crew that will have your back, contact Wingman Direct Marketing to launch the next phase of your success.