5 Skills That Will Help You Grow as an Intern

Interested in becoming a marketing intern but wondering what skills you need to secure the job? As a marketing intern, you would be a part of working with a team to develop, expand and maintain marketing campaigns. Essentially, an internship helps you gain experience and put your best foot forward in the industry. With all of these requirements in mind, it’s important to note the skills needed to excel in your internship and optimize your chances of future employment.

Clear Communication Can Unlock the Path to Your Success

Communication is essential to any industry, but it can make or break an intern’s career, especially in marketing. Being able to speak out with clarity and confidence will show your employers that you’re not only knowledgeable of the industry, but you’re also willing to grow. Understanding key vocabulary can be a beneficial tool that will enable you to hold clearer conversations without the need to explain complicated ideas, while also communicating effectively with your team. The most important aspect of this skill is taking ownership of what you say and the feedback that you give, as it can affect how others perceive you.

Willingness to Learn is Essential

Thanks to the internet, anyone can be an expert on anything. Thus, internships have become significantly more competitive over the years. However, each agency has its own structure and workflow that foster creativity. Most agencies have a particular style because their client base focuses on a particular industry. It’s critical that you come into any internship ready to absorb whatever an agency can teach you — rather than thinking you know all the answers because you aced one particular class. Being teachable and showing your team that you have a strong desire to learn is the key to succeeding as an intern. The more open you are to learn, the more you’ll get out of your internship.

Critical Thinking is Very, Well, Critical

A critical thinker is able to analyze and evaluate a situation or issue and form a solution. As an intern, you would have to pose creative solutions to challenges and demonstrate a willingness to ask questions in order to understand the issue from all possible angles. The ability to create these solutions shows you’re a valuable asset to the team and that you’re able to actively work through issues as they arrive. This skill also makes the working environment more enjoyable, as you would have to examine your own biases and consider differing opinions.

There’s No Such Thing as a Stupid Question

Knowing how and when to ask thoughtful, relevant questions is critical to succeeding at any internship. As an intern, there’s so much information worth learning about at any company — the business, the team dynamics, the history — and asking questions shows your employer you’re interested and willing to learn. When you refrain from asking questions — important or not — it can prevent you from growing in the industry and at your internship. Some good examples of questions are “what tools/technologies are used in marketing?”, “how fast should you be finishing your projects?”, etc. Don’t be afraid to voice your concerns because your team is there to help you.

Stand Tall and Take the Initiative

If there’s an area you’re passionate about and you think could be a great learning opportunity, be sure to take initiative and tell the team you want to help. One recommendation is if you finish all of your tasks, ask for more work — it shows your determination and desire to grow. Employers will appreciate your help and will remember your drive.

Visualizing what you want to get out of your internship can help you focus on what skills you need to gain. This enables you to hone skills that can make job hunting easier. Working at an agency that is willing to help you use these soft skills and develop as a professional is important. Appleton is an award-winning, full-service Orlando advertising agency that works with local, national and international clients to deliver impressive ad campaigns, branding, print, web, public relations, social media and video services — all in-house. At Appleton, we want you to learn about the industry, empower your marketing skills and be your creative resource. Your advertising goals are worth a conversation: contact us at 407-246-0092 or info@appletoncreative.com.