I expected great things when I began my summer internship at Marketing Works, but I had no idea that I had entered one of Columbus’ best internship programs. Now, that enthusiastic conclusion is just my own opinion, but I’m positive it’s the truth. What are the things students want out of an internship? To learn a lot, get hands on experience they can apply in the future, and to get paid. I received all three of those beyond my expectations. Marketing Works is a small agency that entrusts its intern with real responsibility and encourages them to blaze their own path of success. So, if interns want to walk out at the end with tangible skills and experience they can leverage in the professional workplace, they won’t find a much better gig. I’ll put it like this: I often did not feel like an intern. And that’s the key to a great internship. 
For the second half of my summer experience, I was still primarily responsible for the company’s social media and blogging. What changed is that I nearly doubled my client involvement. At my mid-way review, it was noted that I should be more proactive about getting involved in client work instead of just having it assigned to me. So during our weekly traffic meetings, in which we run through all the agency’s upcoming work, I’d jot down any tasks that I felt I could help with or looked interesting. Ask and you shall receive! I ended up compiling media lists, executive profiles, and competitive audits, writing press releases and case studies, as well as attending webinars, internal brainstorms and client discovery sessions.
Another addition to my responsibilities was creating a social media strategy for Marketing Works. I made a promise during my initial interview that if they hired me, I would not just be another body, but an integral team member that added value. While their program is already set up for that, I still wanted to do more. That’s when I came up with the social media strategy idea. I worked together with our vice president and PR coordinator to come up with a purposeful strategy that is comprised of a goal, an overarching strategy and a few sub-strategies. It’s a tool that our future interns will be able to execute.
All in all, I had a fantastic time at Marketing Works. It’s going to feel a little weird not coming back to 740 Lakeview Plaza Boulevard on Monday, but they’ve given me a firm foundation for any business position I take on in the future. If you or anyone you know is interested in the internship program, just email info@marketingworks360.com .