If you have the ambition of getting a good job at a marketing agency or advertising agency after you graduate college, finding a marketing internship is necessary. Potential employers are not solely focused on your knowledge of the material but also your experience in the field. An internship is the best way to gain that experience and give you huge advantage when applying for jobs.
Finding an internship can be hectic and sometimes confusing, especially if you’re limiting yourself to the specific field you’re studying. But don’t fret, because The DSM Group can help you out. We put together a few ways to help you find the internship of your dreams.
Search Websites
There are several website that you can sign up for that have thousands of companies posting open marketing and advertising positions every day. By conducting a simple search on their website, you can not only find available internships but specify your search to location, pay, field of study and other characteristics. The best-known website to find an internship is Craigslist; However, some other sites are Career Builder, Internships.com and LinkedIn. Most colleges have a search engine limited to only students that post all available positions in the area. See if your school has it and take advantage of it.
Company Website
Sometimes you may not want an internship for any company but for a particular one. In that case, your search for a marketing internship just got easier. Go on the company’s website and find out if they have any information about internships posted. If it’s not, contact the company and ask them yourself. Before you do, make sure you know a little about the company and have a good reason why you want to work for them in particular. Although you are not in an interview just yet, they will still be judging your mannerisms, preparation and ambition.
Career Advisement
Every college has some sort of career advisement center. Go there and let them know you want to search for an internship. They are professionals and will able to give you plenty of advice. They’ll probably even have a few companies in mind that they can connect you to right away.
Job Fairs and Expos
Many colleges and other facilities have career fairs or expos where representatives from companies come out and discuss internships with people one-on-one. Montclair State University has several each year that are opened to the public. These events give you a time to shine and show how great of an asset you can be, so make sure you have an "Elevator Speech" prepared. Attend as many of these as you can, even if there are no positions you are interested in. Most of the representatives don’t forget a face. So if you show interest in the company, and not just the positions, they’ll make sure to keep in touch when a marketing position is opened. Make sure to bring a lot of business cards or resumes to hand out.
From personal experience, I can tell you that job fairs are the best way to get an internship. Before I found my internship with The DSM Group, I spent weeks looking. I sent out a dozen resumes, wrote countless cover letters and spent hours searching online.
It was hard and stressful trying to find a company that not only had an available position but a position that fit all the criteria I was looking for. Then I went to a Career Round Table event (same thing as a fair except smaller) and all my troubles were over. I met with several interesting companies who were able to clearly identify what they were looking and what the internship required. I was able to promote myself vocally and not just by a sheet of paper. I was also able to ask question about the positions I was not be able to find online.
A few days later I got an interview with The DSM Group and now I’m an intern. I cannot stress enough how great the fairs, expos or any other face-to-face events can help your search for an internship.
Fall 2013 Internship
If you’re lucky, you can still get a summer internship, but most companies have already finished their selection process. You are better off searching for a fall marketing internship now and getting a leg up on the competition.
For the fall, The DSM Group, has a marketing internship spot open and are looking for applicants. If you wish to gain great experience at a marketing agency, please apply for an internship. The things you will learn from us will provide you with a great advantage when you graduate and search for a job.
Image courtesy of the best inbound marketing software company, HubSpot.