My Experience as an Intern

By Monique Beaupre, Toppel Peer Advisor

 

As a Social Media/Marketing Intern at the Veloz Group, I learned so many lessons and skills that I would have never expected to gain in the summer between my freshman and sophomore years.

Exposure to behind-the-scenes of a young start up in a cosmopolitan area like Westwood, Los Angeles gave me insight into a truly entrepreneurial environment. Interns worked on specialized teams that worked closely with one another and high executives to develop businesses. In a highly collaborative and friendly atmosphere, I learned the value of considering the opinions and suggestions of others. Within the Social Media/Marketing team, feedback and constructive criticism were crucial to creating effective and relevant content. Also, I found that getting on board with projects unrelated to my sector provided me with a broader understanding of business development and function.

I also learned the true horror of commuting. My parents warned me of the deathtrap also known as the 405. But I was so excited to take on my first internship that I insisted commuting 25 miles north everyday would be manageable. I was wrong. One night, it took two and a half hours to get home. It required first-hand experience to understand the tremendous exhaustion that results from seemingly endless bumper-to-bumper traffic, overplayed songs on the radio, and profuse road rage. Next time I search for jobs, I'm predefining a maximum mile radius from my house.

One of my responsibilities as a Social Media/Marketing Intern was to research new and trending marketing strategies. This task sounded intimidating at first, but I learned so much through the process. My team did extensive research on Search Engine Optimization (SEO), a marketing strategy that aims to increase visibility of a company's name on a search engine's search results. Our SEO efforts included weekly blog posts and a PR list of writers who could help us grow our brand. We also experimented with guerilla marketing, an unconventional and out-of-the-box tactic. We worked closely with the Multimedia and Graphic Design teams to create promotional material.

My team was responsible for planning a launch party for a Veloz company called Custom Tobacco. Before this experience, I had never realized nor appreciated the incredible amount of time and consideration that goes into event planning. Independent of any previous background in event planning, we pulled off an outstanding launch party.

The party marked the end of my 10-week internship, causing a whirlwind of mixed emotions. I was on a high of accomplishment from the huge success of the Custom Tobacco launch party. On the other hand, I was already experiencing separation anxiety from some of the awesome friends I had made at Veloz. At the same time, I was relieved that my hellish commute was finally over.

Last summer taught me many unexpected yet valuable lessons. I'm glad I had the opportunity to intern at the Veloz Group. My experience there will greatly benefit my future.