What I Did On My Summer Vacation

In classic beginning-of-school fashion, we asked the Codelation Interns to give us a rundown of their summer marketing internships.

What surprised you about doing the marketing work IRL?

Kenna: As I am not exactly a marketing student, a lot of different things surprised me about marketing. I learned the difference between marketing and strategic communication and also how they play into one another in the workplace.

Jonathan: What surprised me the most was the wide variety of outlets and channels that are at our disposal and the importance of creating connections. Networking and meeting people who will help you and your business is so important to our careers. 

Amie: I was the most surprised about which aspects of marketing I truly enjoyed. It may seem obvious, but learning about marketing in the classroom is very different from doing it “IRL”. Some of the things that I enjoyed in my classes ended up being some of my least favorite things to do, and on the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised by the aspects of marketing that I had thought I didn’t like. Moral of the story is, don’t knock it ‘till you try it!

What was your favorite project or piece of work that you contributed to?

Jonathan: My favorite projects have been ones where I get to write about our community. Getting to study projects we have done with clients in the past has been very fun, especially when they were very cool app builds. I’ve also really enjoyed working on all the social media posts that I have updated and reworked, I think our feed looks awesome!

Amie: My favorite projects to be a part of were our Mobile App Guide and related blogs (coming to our website soon!). It was a group collaboration of our marketing crew, and I believe it’s some of the best content that we’ve made as a company thus far. Writing credits to Jonathan, Kenna, and Maddy. Editing and graphics by yours truly!

Kenna: The projects that brought me the most satisfaction were those that helped those within our community. Writing content for entrepreneurs and those starting their own businesses made me feel as though I was really helping individuals within our community and consequently, our community as a whole.

What professional areas have you leveled up in after working here this summer?

Amie: I’ve leveled up the most in terms of communication and networking. I still have a lot to learn, but I am now more comfortable talking to people as a young professional in the community. I’ve also come to have a greater appreciation for the Fargo-Moorhead area by attending events and learning more about local entrepreneurs. 

Kenna: I most definitely upgraded my writing skills, communication skills, and my time management skills. Learning how to estimate and allocate time necessary for various projects was something that I did not have “real world” experience in and definitely honed in this summer.

Jonathan: The biggest thing that I have improved upon is my writing skills. I have always been a pretty great writer, coming from a journalism background. But this has taught me how to write in a different tone of voice that I have never had to do before. Second is my ability to meet new people and learn about networking. Before this job, I had just started my LinkedIn and now I have tons of great connections and new friendships!

What advice would you give to a student who hasn’t had an internship yet?

Kenna: GET AN INTERNSHIP. While it may seem daunting at first, it will teach you so much about the potential workforce as well as about yourself. It will help you develop workplace skills and will also help you get an idea of what you do, and what you don’t, like in a career. 

Jonathan: Be prepared to learn EVERYTHING, but also don’t be afraid to. You won’t come in knowing everything and it’s alright to ask a ton of questions, I know I did, so come in with an open mind and the learning will follow. You only get out of it what you put in so put your mark on things and get involved with projects and take on new tasks as much as you are able to. 

Amie: I’d like to echo Kenna’s “GET AN INTERNSHIP”. It’s a great learning experience, both personally and professionally. My other piece of advice would be to stick to your guns. Everyone has an opinion; just because you may have less experience than another person does not mean your opinion is “wrong”.