I am a firm believer in hands-on-learning so to support my education, I am always searching for experience in the ‘real world’. Over the past four months my marketing internship at ElementIQ has given me just that.
In my ‘Week of Firsts’ blog post, I spoke about the journey I was about to embark on by taking part in ElementIQ’s marketing internship program. What a journey it was!
During my time at ElementIQ I have learned how to create SEO-friendly website content; starting with the ever-important keyword research. I have managed social media content calendars for clients and been taught the ins and outs of email marketing. I even got to delve into the world of account management; something I never thought I would get the opportunity to do as a mere ‘intern’.
But that’s exactly why a marketing internship with ElementIQ is different. Instead of sitting in the background and observing, you are thrown headfirst into client work (after several weeks of training). You know you are supported by the team who are only a Slack message or quick Zoom call away for any questions you might have.
As my internship comes to an end, I’ve enjoyed having the chance to reflect on what I’ve learned over the past four months.
Here are my key takeaways from my remote marketing internship with ElementIQ:
Connecting with your team is important
I must admit, I wasn’t sure if I was cut out for remote working. Especially as someone who learns by watching and enjoys the social aspect of the office environment. However, the team at ElementIQ made sure to stay connected through short daily huddles, weekly meetings and the occasional socially distanced hang out - which included a competitive game of Piñata!
I quickly realized that you can still get a lot out of a remote internship, but you do have to put the time and effort in. Make sure to ask questions when you need to and put yourself forward to learn new things outside of your comfort zone. If you do this, you’ll get a lot from your internship.
Don’t be afraid to get it wrong
Remember that you’re an intern and the reason you’re there is to learn from some of the industry’s best. For the first couple of tasks I was assigned, I was so hung up on the idea that my work might not be good enough that I was nervous to ask for it to be reviewed.
Once you get over this, you actually realize that two brains are better than one. That means that most of the time, it's beneficial to brainstorm with another team member or have them look over your work before it goes to client review. After all, as an intern you are there to learn and your teammates are there to support you and help you do just that.
You can never stop learning
Diving into the world of digital marketing is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I used to get overwhelmed wondering how I would ever get my break in the industry with the little knowledge I had.
After Sam and the team had taken a chance on this keen student fresh from a BrainStation crash course, I realized that this is the perfect industry if you enjoy learning. The only way you can stay on top of digital marketing trends and Google’s ever-changing algorithm (which I learned induces a lot of eye rolls in the industry) is to engage in lifelong learning.
You can do this by reading blogs, such as the ElementIQ one, joining forums, and signing up to insightful newsletters. I even had the opportunity to attend the first virtual MozCon during my internship where I learned a bunch of new tactics that I could share with the team.
Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash
Your ideas are valued
No matter how insignificant I thought it was, whenever I voiced my opinion on a process it was taken into account. This was something I really appreciated throughout my internship and I enjoyed helping the team improve some processes. It really made me feel as though I had an impact.
I was always treated as a peer and a part of the team. I think this is the most important thing to look for when searching for an internship. It allows you to exercise your critical thinking as well as your creativity and not be afraid to share it with your team.
So you’re thinking of applying?
There are many other aspects that made my internship at ElementIQ such a great time. Weekly dress ups, seeing my content on the world wide web and pressing send on my first email campaign to name a few.
It’s likely that you’re on this page because you’re searching for a marketing internship in Vancouver yourself. If you want to work in a place where you and your learning are supported; I can guarantee ElementIQ is the place for you.
