The Intern Diaries: What I Learnt At TwentyTwo Digital
The Day in the Life of a TwentyTwo Intern
I have ten minutes left before my internship interview at TwentyTwo, and I still can’t find the office. She said it was near the Woolies, right? Or was the office outside the Fortitude Valley Station? “C’mon, give me a sign,” I thought.
A familiar name surfaces on my phone. ‘Sarah’, it read, following a list of instructions on how to get to the office. I followed the instructions like a lost tourist and rushed to the 8th floor, frantically trying to catch my breath with each passing floor. I walked through the glass doors of TwentyTwo where two friendly faces greeted me. They introduced themselves as Sarah and Bailey. Despite my frantic attempts to catch my breath, Sarah and Bailey didn’t question why I was nearly late; instead, they asked if I was okay. This was the exact moment I realised that TwentyTwo Digital fostered a friendly and welcoming environment.
After being selected to intern at TwentyTwo despite my unconventional first impressions, the team made me feel a part of TwentyTwo from day one. As a university student, I was worried my lack of practical experience would affect my ability to contribute to TwentyTwo’s mission. Instead, I was mentored, guided and eased into the ever-changing world of marketing with a talented team supporting my growth. Unlike other internships, the team at TwentyTwo exposed me to new and uncharted areas of marketing, with the guidance of my internship coordinators, Sarah and Bailey, as well as a team of talented, data-driven marketers in a friendly environment. Upon completing my seven week internship program at TwentyTwo Digital, I’ve taken away five important lessons that have informed my career as a student and future marketer.
What I Learnt From My Marketing Internship
Choose Who You Surround Yourself With
Doing an internship enables you to connect with people already in the industry that help you understand your goals, future, and areas for growth. Surrounding myself with the experienced, data-driven marketers at TwentyTwo was the perfect opportunity to make connections and friends in the industry. From areas of SEO, content marketing and paid advertisements, I had the opportunity to be mentored by different members of TwentyTwo who reinforced my university learnings. The people who shared the same passions as me, enabled me to grow and develop my skills.
Value is Shaped By You
The value I gained from my internship was shaped by what I was willing to put in. When I had the opportunity to ask questions, apply my learnings and contribute to discussions, I had the chance to shape my seven week internship into my own experience. While my internship coordinators briefed me on my daily tasks, I learnt that I was able to gain more when I was willing to do more. Put your hand up for any opportunity that comes your way. Don’t be afraid to get involved and ask questions to expand your learning and get the most out of your agency experience.
Don’t Sell Yourself Short
Coming from a background of little experience, I was nervous to produce work that was up to industry standard. However, I remembered that as an intern, I came to TwentyTwo Digital to learn. From my first initial meeting with TwentyTwo, I learnt that my current skills and abilities are not defined by my capabilities, but merely as a showcase of my current understanding. I took every opportunity to build on what I already knew and became confident in the skills I was investing in. So, take notes, observe, but most importantly don’t be a limitation to yourself!
Find the Right Workplace Culture
Work and play do not have to be mutually exclusive. At TwentyTwo, I learnt that while exceeding client expectations is vital, it's equally important to reward yourself. TwentyTwo fostered a friendly and encouraging workplace environment that allowed me to work towards something rewarding. With TwentyTwo’s inclusive environment, I was able to perform at my best in a workplace that valued doing fun activities amongst all the hard day-to-day work.
Learn To Be An Industry Thought Leader
Throughout my time at TwentyTwo, it made me realise that marketing is constantly evolving. As a marketer, you have to keep up with the trends and position yourself as an industry thought leader. As I write this blog, the Barbie movie is set to hit the theatres, and my LinkedIn has been non-stop feeding me with the Barbie marketing campaign that ‘wowed’ the world. Since I started interning at TwentyTwo, I started looking at how brands around me were marketing their services to me. I learnt to observe and understand the marketing tactics that I could apply to my future career.
Take The Next Step For Your Future
Overall, my experience at TwentyTwo gave me industry insight into the operations of a fast-paced marketing agency. I gained newfound skills that have informed my understanding of my skill set and what I am looking forward to in my career. So, if you’re a marketing student reading this blog on the TwentyTwo website, then what are you waiting for? I encourage you to take the next step in your career and apply today.
