Internships are a great way to gain experience within the field of marketing; they act as sort of a stepping stone between classes and the real world. At the time of writing, I just finished my first year of college and am currently a summer intern at Vision Advertising, specializing in social media and graphic design. I’d like to share a few tips and advice to make the most out of a marketing internship experience!

Take Advantage of Your Supervisor’s Experience

Your supervisors are your biggest asset while interning at any company. They’re more than willing to answer any questions you might have, as well as provide pointers on your work. Whenever I have any questions about the work I’m doing or marketing in general, I ask Vision’s Communications Manager and Internship Program Supervisor, Catrina Gardner. Her experience working in the social media and graphic design fields is invaluable to me as I continue to learn and grow my skill set. Furthermore, she provides advice on how I can advance my career while in the field of marketing.

Use Different Tools and Technologies During Your Internship

Working in digital marketing, you’ll likely turn to many different technologies and software in your marketing internship experience that will make your job easier. Here are some of the programs I use on a daily basis:

• Canva: This graphic design software is perfect for quickly and efficiently designing all types of content, including Instagram posts and stories. If you don’t already know, Canva is a free software that allows you to create designs from user-generated content, and it’s extremely useful for anyone in the design field. The learning curve is slight, and it’s a great tool if you don’t already have a background in graphic design.
• Dropbox: In terms of organizing photos, Dropbox takes the cake. The ease of uploading photos and moving them around within your team is unmatched. Furthermore, having an easy-to-understand interface is a huge plus when it comes to work efficiency.
• Airtable: This software is my personal go-to for organizing tasks, drafting captions and posts for review, and many other uses. My work team uses Airtable to distribute tasks for interns, but even if your team doesn’t use this software, I would still recommend checking it out. 

Find Inspiration From the News and Trends

Sometimes, you’ll have trouble coming up with fresh ideas for your work. We all experience creative blocks every now and then. Whenever I get stuck—whether it be while writing a post caption or making an Instagram design—I take a step back and try to find inspiration from the media I’ve consumed recently. Be aware of what’s trending and topical! Current events, social media trends, and other popular media, such as movies and songs, are all good places to look when coming up with ideas. 

If you take advantage of the advice listed in this article, I guarantee you’ll have an easier time navigating through your marketing internship experience just like I did. If you’re still looking for a fulfilling internship that can offer flexible hours, college credit, and is fully remote, look no further than Vision’s internship program! Vision provides an engaging marketing internship experience that is offered year-round. Visit our website to learn more and apply.