Internship Experience during a global Pandemic

I had an opportunity to intern at VWR as a Marketing Communication Specialist, supporting the Chemicals portfolio.  This position was unlike any other as I have zero background in science or chemicals! This internship is also unique as this company is a distributor and you have to work diligently on all fronts to support and satisfy the vendors and our customers.

As most of us are experiencing the pandemic in different ways, I also adapted how to learn remotely.  The training was implemented through Microsoft Teams and over emails. You are forced to use your time accordingly while also upholding your responsibilities. Being self-motivating can be a challenge but I noticed making a schedule and sticking to it, can help for making my day productive. Making sure to check in with my mentor and teammates was imperative to my success as well.  This experience has taught me that you can think outside the box and that all ideas are welcome. You don’t know unless you ask!

Specific to my role, I have the pleasure of planning and drafting out marketing plans that suit the supplier’s needs. Most of the tactics we implement are digital. I enjoy the many different possibilities there are when it comes to creating a plan. My favorite thing is reviewing the ROI reports. This assists me in planning for the future as I’m able to view the strengths and also the weaknesses of the tactics. The biggest project that I have worked on this year was the creating of the chemicals webpage. The portfolio director and I worked together to create a landing page that would highlight products, suppliers, services, and literature regarding applications and information. I am excited to see the finished product and hope that this will expand their awareness to the brand and continue to drive sales.