I don’t think my title should be ‘intern’
And I mean that in a good way. I started an account management internship at the Brownstein Group in January. The Brownstein Group is a full service advertising agency in Center City. Some of their clients include IKEA, Comcast SportsNet, and the Philadelphia Auto Show. Before starting my experience, I assumed my daily tasks would primarily consist of busy work. Well, I was wrong. While there are times I do busy work, I have been much more involved than I could have imagined. I create PowerPoints and present them to the creative team, sit in on real client meetings, and write creative briefs. I definitely did not expect to do (some of) what account managers do everyday. The one thing I have learned about interning is when you first speak to your internship coordinator about what you would like to get out of the experience, don’t be shy! I told the account manager that I am working under that I would like to feel like I am more than an intern and help on a more involved level than just busy work. She definitely made this happen for me. Being vocal on my first day about what I wanted to do has made all the difference. Considering the account manager had interned at Brownstein before being hired, she understood where I was coming from. Internships are about real world experience after all, so jumping on the opportunity to do what I am going to do after graduation is a no brainer.
I am not saying all other internships are solely busy work – I know that is definitely not the case! My assumption before starting was solely my opinion. I am curious as to other student’s advertising internship experiences, and hope they are having the same valuable experience I am!
https://www.brownsteingroup.com/
That’s awesome that you don’t feel like the stereotypical “intern” at the Brownstein Group. It’s funny because I feel like a lot of Temple Advertising students, especially on this blog, end up saying that about their experiences. I think that this industry seems to be outgrowing the old-fashioned “go get me coffee” kind of mentality with kids like us, and they’re starting to see that we have a lot to offer. The place where I intern (https://www.maidenmediagroup.com) always asserts that people our age are considered “Digital Natives,” and we have a natural ability to function in the world as it changes technologically. It’s pretty cool that so many companies seem to be considering that and giving young people a chance to offer what we know. Good luck at your internship!