The Chances We Take

Hi there, stranger. You’ve come across this blog by unknown means. Perhaps you have an interest in obtaining a degree in advertising, you searched my name, or you’re a fellow advertising student. Whatever the case may be, I hope to share some advice with you that I’ve obtained through my internship experience and career as a student of advertising.

For the past few months, I’ve dedicated my time interning with an amazing nonprofit organization called Charity On Top. I landed this internship through a connection with my peer. I offered them any advertising help they needed and sent my resume forward in an email. My concentration is brand strategy and research, so I have experience in a wide variety of tasks. Shortly after, I got a callback, their interest piqued in my listed class Search Engine Optimization.

An amateur at best, I excitedly took the internship knowing the basics of SEO, but also acknowledging the willpower I’d need to learn more myself. After a couple of weeks of taking SEO lessons and returning recommendations, I ventured into SEM blindly. More courses on LinkedIn Learning followed, and it soon became apparent why digital marketing agencies split PPC and SEO into two separate departments. Thus, my title became more specific, from Marketing Intern to SEO and SEM Intern. I’ve had the opportunity to lead keyword research, manage a Google Ads account, and initiate a blog through my own content creation. Occasionally I assist in a one-off project, like data clean-ups and CRM management.

The knowledge I obtained in my role at Charity On Top is something I will always be thankful for, and I have to owe a piece of my career to it. I have been involved in two companies for good, and it’s a place where I hope to continue my career. Nonprofit organizations often pull in jack of all trades, so the possibilities are endless as long as there is a thirst for learning.

My greatest piece of advice ending this internship is having the openness to learning anything, even if it seems strange and uncomfortable, you never know where that knowledge will take you.

Learning and trying new skills is like visiting a new restaurant, as they say, “don’t knock it until you try it.” You may come out loving something more than you expected or realizing it’s not something you want to do again. Nevertheless, you learn more about yourself and gain confidence.

Now that the semester is over, my role at Charity On Top is transitioning from intern to volunteer! I’m excited to continue my work with them and hope to make an everlasting impact on the organization. My openness to learning has granted me this chance, and I plan to never stop learning. So, one last thing, if you’re nervous to try something new, taking the chance will only improve yourself.