Lots of Learning at Tierney
I’ve had the incredible opportunity to spend the semester as a strategy intern at Tierney Communications. It has honestly been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I’ve learned so much here that I couldn’t decide one thing to write about. So here are four of the most important things I’ve learned at my internship.
1. Culture Matters: Culture is incredibly important to office life. Tierney goes out of the way to make sure its employees are happy and engaged. (It does this so well that it was named one of Ad Age’s best places to work). Whether it is an educational webinar or the occasional happy hour, developing a good culture at the agency helps its employees enjoy coming to work every day. I got firsthand experience in helping develop company culture when I joined the rest of the interns and new hires in throwing a “pail party” for the entire office. We had to plan the activities, decorations, and food and take care of all of the logistics for a social media themed party. (The picture attached to this post is from this party)
2. Questions Aren’t a Bad Thing: When I first started my internship I was very eager to jump right into projects. As soon as I was briefed I would rush to get started. I was afraid to ask questions because I didn’t want to seem unknowledgeable or unprepared. After a few projects I learned that asking questions wasn’t just ok, it was vital to doing good work. Nothing is more important than clearly understanding the task you are assigned. It is better to take the extra time to fully comprehend the project than to do it incorrectly.
3. Everything You Do Helps You Learn: No matter how big, how small, or how far it takes your out of your comfort zone every task you are given has value. All the interns at Tierney take turns working at the reception desk. I was initially nervous but after doing it a few times I realized that it was a great way for me to learn the faces of everyone working at the agency. Other “small” tasks like taking notes in meetings are great ways to see more of how the agency operates.
4. Everyone is on the Same Team: At Temple we don’t get the chance to work with people in other tracks. Tierney interns are given the chance to shadow someone in every department at the agency. This experience has taught me that every single department, from public relations to project management, has a vital role to play in creating great work for the client.
It was really interesting reading this post because I had an idea in my head that each agency was so very immeasurably different; it turns out, however, that the key things you have learned at your internship, I also learned at mine. I couldn’t agree more how crucial these 4 points are in this industry. These points were some of my favorite learning experiences at my internship, so it’s really great to know that they’re applicable throughout other agencies. It’s really great that you are enjoying your internship so much!
Going off of what Gabrielle said, these four things you learned while interning at Tierney apply to not only ad agencies but every single work environment. When I read each point, I have an experience to think about from my time interning at a museum. These things are valuable to think about no matter what job you are working at and are even things to consider when applying for and accepting jobs. From what you’ve written and the things you learned, you seem to really have enjoyed your internship, which is awesome!