11.11 11:27

7 lessons I learned as an intern and what you should learn from them

Lesson Number 1
You will be forgotten.

The advertising agency is a busy beast. Unlike your previous retail/restaurant job, everyone who is physically present is doing actual work. And they are usually far too busy to find work for you. Once you understand that finding tasks for you to do is often more work for the person assigning it, you will be in a better position to execute
lesson 2.

Lesson Number 2
Do something about it.

Don’t let the hectic nature of the agency keep you out of the game. See that random stack of papers that’s been there for four and a half months? Move it. Toss it. Do something with it.

“My that storeroom looks exquisite, I wonder who did that?”

It’s easy to see impact when it’s right in front of your face. And impact is the name of the game when trying to turn an internship into a career.

Lesson Number 3
Never say never. Or “no” for that matter.

You’re new and no one is a mind reader. You are going to be asked to do things you may or may not know how to do. Just say yes. Regardless of whether or not you can complete a specific task doesn’t matter because you can learn. That is the point of an internship, to learn.

“Can you cut this video together?”

“Sure, of course I can cut that video together.” Ten minutes and two YouTube tutorials later, you’re cutting video like there is no tomorrow. There are some limits to this, but they are few and far between, and at the end of the day, your co-workers and superiors will appreciate your can-do attitude.

Lesson Number 4
Your production manager is the key to the agency. (And the key to your future.)

The production manager will DEFINITELY be the busiest person in your agency. He or she is the quintessential bottleneck of the agency, trafficking and communicating between the media people, the account folk and the creatives. (In larger agencies this role may be split among a few people, but the notion still stands). Because they have their hands in nearly everything, they are the ones with the work. Also, they are always seeking ways to make their job that much easier. Be that way. 

Lesson Number 5
Have a drink, or two.

No, not while you’re working, but at 5:00pm on Friday, when the rest of the agency congregates for a frosty beverage, you should be there too. You can’t afford to miss out on opportunities for rubbing elbows and reminding everyone just how entertaining and refreshing you really are. People enjoy working with people they like. Oh, and don’t eat alone unless you’re so busy that you’re forced to.

Lesson Number 6
Get there early early. Stay late. Stay always.

If there are people staying late, be there. You might spend three hours hitting the Stumble button, but at 9pm on a deadline when the creative director needs you most, you will be there. “Oh you need this parcel taken to FedEx in the next 3.5 minutes? Bam! Done. Coffee? Done.” These things do not go unnoticed.

Lesson Number 7
Write it down.

Advertising is complicated. Most tasks have a lot of steps and in most cases the people assigning the tasks don’t have time to repeat themselves. Get it right the first time to avoid looking disinterested or even worse, incapable.

Hopefully some of these lessons give you some insight into what you can expect when you land that first big magical internship and some best practices for making the most out of it.

*The author is Bryan Dempler, former intern and current copywriter at Godfrey Q and Partners in San Francisco

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