Confessions of a Media Planning & Buying Intern

To be quite honest with you, I didn’t understand what a media planning intern did when I accepted my internship with Harmelin Media this past semester. Although media planning was one of my concentrations, I wasn’t sure that I had completely grasped the concept yet or if it was even the right path for me career-wise. Jumping at an opportunity with Harmelin quickly changed all of that for me, and I learned so much more about myself and my career path than I could have ever imagined.

I have decided to narrow down my best pieces of advice and information that I’ve learned throughout my internship experience in hopes that whoever is reading this can have an experience similar to my own.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help: As an intern, you aren’t expected to know everything right away, and you really shouldn’t know everything that you’re tasked with doing on the first try. Asking questions and keeping an open dialogue with coworkers is how you learn basic skills and knowledge. The individuals you work with want you to ask questions and to be curious- they wouldn’t have wanted an intern on their team if that wasn’t the case.

Confidence is key: Confidence is crucial in regards to not only your work ethic, but your professional development in general. Be proud of the work you’re putting into your position. Although the projects you’re working on may not seem important at first, they play a larger role in the greater picture of the company. Remember to always be confident in yourself and your abilities because they can truly benefit the organization you’re working for.

Shadow your advisors: I can’t tell you how many times I just sat and watched my coworkers conduct their daily tasks. Just being able to sit with them, ask questions, and understand what their day-to-day looks like was the best experience I could have asked for. Learning from the people I worked with helped me decide to apply to full-time jobs in media planning.

Take advantage of every opportunity: This mainly has to do with applying to jobs and internships because you never know how much an experience will impact you if you don’t at least give it a shot. I applied to any internship I found even if it pertained to something I wasn’t interested in. There are so many opportunities for students, especially in a city like Philadelphia, to take advantage of. Don’t be afraid to try something out of your comfort zone because at the end of the day, relevant experience looks great on a resume no matter what it is!

Be yourself: This may be a bit obvious, but it’s so important to be yourself at your internship or job. I was so nervous in the beginning that my team wouldn’t like me or trust the work I was doing, but I learned that being myself made them appreciate my presence that much more. Being yourself and forming strong bonds with coworkers can benefit you in the long-run as well when it comes to networking and finding a career in the future.

Enjoy your experience while it lasts: As much as I loved my internship with Harmelin, I felt as though I took it for granted far too often. It wasn’t until my internship with them was cut short by COVID-19 that I truly understood how much I appreciated my time with them. Take advantage of the time you spend at your internship to ask questions and learn about the industry you are working in. The semester or summer you spend with whoever you intern for will fly by, so make sure you spend your time wisely!

Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better internship with Harmelin. If you’re interested in interning with their company, I cannot recommend it enough! You will learn so much about media and the industry as a whole. More importantly, you will learn about yourself along the way, making the experience that much more meaningful.

Happy Interning! – Julia 🙂