Thursday, June 26, 2008
Explore the Playing Field
One of the things that I have been doing a lot of is exploring the different thoughts and views of the digital marketing field. It is important if you are going to move throughout any industry that you learn as much as you can about it. That means learning the names of the big firms, knowing where the industry has been coming from, and what direction it is going. The best way to do this is to read blogs or subscribe to RSS feeds that are updated daily with information about what you are learning. A great feed in the digital field is a website called ReadWriteWeb. They offer quick news updates of the things that are happening in the digital environment. If you can find a couple of these feeds or resources you will learn a lot more about the industry around you and not just the company that you are working for. These also give you something productive to do when you have down time.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Stimulate Your Experience
Well I am starting week three already! I can't believe how fast it has gone by so far, but I'm ready for another good week. I had a great weekend (Nice sweep Cubbies!), but I am ready to get back to work. One of the greatest things about this internship is that I am starting to really look forward to getting to work in the morning. Mondays are hard (the weekends go by too fast), but I really enjoy being here. I would love to give advice to anyone who does not like their internship, but I really have no frame of reference for that! I will give some more advice on how to make things go more smoothly. First I would suggest that if you feel like you are not being used enough, create a project for yourself. This will keep you occupied and impress the people you work for. This can be as simple as creating a blog (cough,cough) or looking ahead for what your boss will need next and starting to get organized for it. If you are still looking for things to do, make sure that you keep reminding your boss that you are available. You don't need to be pushy, just remind them every once and a while that you are available to help. I would also suggest that you always double check your work and even your emails. There is nothing more embarrassing then looking back on an email that you wrote too fast and finding all kinds of mistakes in it. Thats all I have for right now!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Week Two: Diving In
It is half way through my second week and by now I have a pretty good handle on the place. I have learned a lot about the Avenue A | Razorfish by just listening to other people talk about what they do. Our firm is basically a marketing firm that utilizes digital channels to spread the word about our clients. As a marketing and PR intern for the company itself I have been given the unique opportunity to see a lot of the work that we have done and the work that we are in the process of doing. The technology that our company is able to utilize and the creative minds that are driving that technology is amazing. **I'm going to put some links up in my website section of places I think you should check out**. The most important thing I have learned so far is that listening really pays off. Make sure you are really listening when people talking about the company and the work they are doing. It is really interesting and very helpful as you continue on.
Beyond learning just about Avenue A, I am learning more and more about the business community every day. It is a little intimidating at first, but I am getting more and more comfortable everyday. The key is to just dive in. For example, my boss was having a meeting and I just walked in and joined them. That way I would learn more about what she does, and as it turned out I was working on the project any way, so that meeting was very helpful. Don't be afraid to jump in and create an opportunity for yourself because they will not always do it for you!
Some other little things that I have learned:
- Bring a sweater. The air conditioning is cold and you might not be able to get outside all day long.
- If you are going out for lunch or coffee ask the people around and your boss you if they want or need anything. This will help you meet people and your boss will appreciate it.
- If your office lets you listen to music bring head phones and turn on pandora.com (link is below). It is an awesome free music site that lets you listen to what ever you want.
Beyond learning just about Avenue A, I am learning more and more about the business community every day. It is a little intimidating at first, but I am getting more and more comfortable everyday. The key is to just dive in. For example, my boss was having a meeting and I just walked in and joined them. That way I would learn more about what she does, and as it turned out I was working on the project any way, so that meeting was very helpful. Don't be afraid to jump in and create an opportunity for yourself because they will not always do it for you!
Some other little things that I have learned:
- Bring a sweater. The air conditioning is cold and you might not be able to get outside all day long.
- If you are going out for lunch or coffee ask the people around and your boss you if they want or need anything. This will help you meet people and your boss will appreciate it.
- If your office lets you listen to music bring head phones and turn on pandora.com (link is below). It is an awesome free music site that lets you listen to what ever you want.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Surviving the First Week
It is Friday and I finally made it through the week! I am looking forward to a big cocktail at the end of the day but until then I will share what I have learned this week.
1. Learn to love the Internet. If you are like me, you will have a lot of down time and the Internet will become your best friend.
2. Go out to lunch. For many of you this is going to be your first time sitting in the same place in a building all day long. Get out an get some fresh air. Even if you just run out and grab a sandwich and come back to you desk, your legs will appreciate the stretch.
3. Talk about your job with your friends and family. The more talk about discuss what you the more you will learn. If you don't know the answer to a question ask someone the next day. You will learn so much more and you will impress your people with how quick you are catching on.
4. Talk to the people around you. This is simply the best way to get to know the office on how it works. If you can't work the phones (my problem yesterday) ask someone you don't talk to very much to help you. It took me a while to figure out the fact that the people you work with are happy to help.
5. Try and stay up to date on the projects your company is working on. This will be a good way to impress your boss and a quick way to strike up a conversation with your co-workers. Ask them how their projects are going and if you can help with anything.
The main objective is to learn as much as you can while you are here and the way to do that is by actively participating in the opportunity you have been given.
1. Learn to love the Internet. If you are like me, you will have a lot of down time and the Internet will become your best friend.
2. Go out to lunch. For many of you this is going to be your first time sitting in the same place in a building all day long. Get out an get some fresh air. Even if you just run out and grab a sandwich and come back to you desk, your legs will appreciate the stretch.
3. Talk about your job with your friends and family. The more talk about discuss what you the more you will learn. If you don't know the answer to a question ask someone the next day. You will learn so much more and you will impress your people with how quick you are catching on.
4. Talk to the people around you. This is simply the best way to get to know the office on how it works. If you can't work the phones (my problem yesterday) ask someone you don't talk to very much to help you. It took me a while to figure out the fact that the people you work with are happy to help.
5. Try and stay up to date on the projects your company is working on. This will be a good way to impress your boss and a quick way to strike up a conversation with your co-workers. Ask them how their projects are going and if you can help with anything.
The main objective is to learn as much as you can while you are here and the way to do that is by actively participating in the opportunity you have been given.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Breaking the Ice
We all know that the first day anywhere can be can be very intimidating. Your nerves start going and the butterflies develop in your stomach. If it is your first time going to a real job in the corporate world these fears can be multiplied ten fold. I was a wreck on my first day but there are a couple of ways that I think can help get past the nerves.
My first bit of advice is to figure out how you are going to get to the office and try it out the day before. This will eliminate half the stress of worrying if you are going to get there on time. It will also give you a chance to scope out the area, and find the good coffee places or fast food restaurants. If you do this the day before you start you will feel much more comfortable when you are going to work the next day.
I am not going to hit you over the head with the basics of the first day. You know that you should get their early (I would recommend around 10-15min early) and that you should dress presentably, but there are somethings that I wish I would have done. When you get there, introduce yourself to the receptionist. You will be seeing this person every morning and evening for the rest of the summer, you should know their name and they should know yours. This also avoids the awkward conversation three days later, after you have passed the person every morning and you finally ask their name. In addition, this will also help you feel like you are joining the team, instead of just playing on it for one day. You are in it for the long hall so settle in. While we are on the topic, just try to introduce your self to as many people as you can throughout the day. I promise you won't remember half of their names, but the more people you talk the more comfortable you will feel. It is hard to do (I am still working on it) but if you try and talk to a couple new people each day you can form some relationships that will help you get past the new person stigma. Talk. Talk. Talk!!!
You should be prepared for work to be slow for the first couple of days. Yes the first day will be a lot of paperwork and office tours (all very exciting) but your bosses will still be trying to figure out what to do with you. Do not be afraid to offer help or tell the boss you are available for what ever he or she needs. Luckily I was given something to do right away, but once I was finished I did not have anything else to do for the rest of the afternoon because I was afraid to ask. Put yourself out there to anyone who may need some help.
Do not be afraid to ask questions. I know that everyone says this but it is especially true the first day on the job. Your boss knows that it is your first day and you do not know the exact protocol for everything. For example, it took me 45 minutes to finally get up the nerve to ask my boss what time she would like me to stay until. This was a waste of time on my part because there was no reason to be so worried about asking her. The company created an internship opportunity because they want to teach you just as much as you want to learn, so start asking questions right off the bat.
Listen carefully and take notes when people are teaching you how to work things. You might think you look silly, but if you take notes then you won't have to go back and ask a hundred questions over and over again about how to get simple tasks done. You will appreciate it later and your boss will appreciate now being asked the same thing over and over. This will also make your work easier and faster when you have to do it in the future and you have forgotten.
The main point of the first day is to get your feet wet. The key is to not be afraid to talk and to be yourself. Your boss will appreciate your enthusiasm and you will be much more comfortable and productive. You will be nervous, but I promise you will get through the day!
My first bit of advice is to figure out how you are going to get to the office and try it out the day before. This will eliminate half the stress of worrying if you are going to get there on time. It will also give you a chance to scope out the area, and find the good coffee places or fast food restaurants. If you do this the day before you start you will feel much more comfortable when you are going to work the next day.
I am not going to hit you over the head with the basics of the first day. You know that you should get their early (I would recommend around 10-15min early) and that you should dress presentably, but there are somethings that I wish I would have done. When you get there, introduce yourself to the receptionist. You will be seeing this person every morning and evening for the rest of the summer, you should know their name and they should know yours. This also avoids the awkward conversation three days later, after you have passed the person every morning and you finally ask their name. In addition, this will also help you feel like you are joining the team, instead of just playing on it for one day. You are in it for the long hall so settle in. While we are on the topic, just try to introduce your self to as many people as you can throughout the day. I promise you won't remember half of their names, but the more people you talk the more comfortable you will feel. It is hard to do (I am still working on it) but if you try and talk to a couple new people each day you can form some relationships that will help you get past the new person stigma. Talk. Talk. Talk!!!
You should be prepared for work to be slow for the first couple of days. Yes the first day will be a lot of paperwork and office tours (all very exciting) but your bosses will still be trying to figure out what to do with you. Do not be afraid to offer help or tell the boss you are available for what ever he or she needs. Luckily I was given something to do right away, but once I was finished I did not have anything else to do for the rest of the afternoon because I was afraid to ask. Put yourself out there to anyone who may need some help.
Do not be afraid to ask questions. I know that everyone says this but it is especially true the first day on the job. Your boss knows that it is your first day and you do not know the exact protocol for everything. For example, it took me 45 minutes to finally get up the nerve to ask my boss what time she would like me to stay until. This was a waste of time on my part because there was no reason to be so worried about asking her. The company created an internship opportunity because they want to teach you just as much as you want to learn, so start asking questions right off the bat.
Listen carefully and take notes when people are teaching you how to work things. You might think you look silly, but if you take notes then you won't have to go back and ask a hundred questions over and over again about how to get simple tasks done. You will appreciate it later and your boss will appreciate now being asked the same thing over and over. This will also make your work easier and faster when you have to do it in the future and you have forgotten.
The main point of the first day is to get your feet wet. The key is to not be afraid to talk and to be yourself. Your boss will appreciate your enthusiasm and you will be much more comfortable and productive. You will be nervous, but I promise you will get through the day!
First Blog Post!
Welcome to the my first Blog! I am new with this so I hope all of you reading will have give me the benefit of the doubt as I try to work my way through the world of technology. I have created this blog to give incite into the world of a summer intern. As a college student I had never worked in a corporate environment before three days ago. When I started the process of looking for a summer internship this spring, I was terrified of the idea that I would have to go to an office everyday and find a way to be useful. I would have loved to have heard first hand from a former intern how to navigate the world of marketing and PR (as it relates to the world of digital media) and not make a fool of myself. I hope to provide that kind of first hand advice for future interns here. I will make mistakes. I will fall. I will not know what I am doing. But hopefully I will also be met with success, and I will document both my successes and failures so that you can learn from them. I want to hear your comments, advice and criticism! Please let me know if I am being helpful or if I am making no sense at all. I look forward to a fun and exciting summer!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
