It’s hard to believe that I’m finishing up an informative, rewarding, and enjoyable internship experience at CannonDesign. I learned a great deal about marketing communications and the specific needs of a firm in the design industry. I was extremely fortunate to join a team that cared about my learning and development, as I was included in just about every ongoing project in addition to my own responsibilities and assignments.
The area that I think I’ve grown the most in is my ability to gather, interpret, and present information. I developed these skills as a result of three comprehensive research projects. The projects included competitive analyses and assessments of the firm’s social media accounts, media exposure, and the communication strategy of a service line within the firm. I presented my social media findings to the entire marketing communications team, which includes people from 5 different offices, in person and on a conference call.
Additionally, I feel as though I grew in my verbal communication skills as a result of 12 interviews with interns from across the firm. The interviews were used to write a recurring feature series that introduced summer interns within the firm’s internal communication platform.
After reflecting upon this experience, I would recommend the following advice: Try to talk with as many people at your internship site, even if they are not within your department. Learning about the entire operation will allow you to deliver stronger messages on behalf of your organization. I think what I came to understand is that one of the greatest assets and challenges of being a communications professional is that our work doesn’t lie within a vacuum inside an organization. In most cases, it transcends offices, countries, and departments. Beyond that, people will respect your interest to learn more about their jobs.
I am grateful to have had this wonderful opportunity and I look forward to advancing my skill set and professional development.
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