Tag Archive for: Marketing Internship

Jimmy Luo, Sydney Management Internship

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Jimmy_SMGCrewInterned in Marketing at fashion retailer The Iconic, Spring 2014

Internship: I interned at The Iconic, Australia’s leading online fashion retailer. As an intern in the marketing department, I worked specifically in the areas of search engine optimization (SEO), conversion rate optimization (CRO), and business intelligence. Most of my work involved manipulating and making sense of large datasets in order to make strategic decisions at the online and business operations levels. One of the major projects I took on involved using a software called Optimizely to conduct A/B testing across the entire website. Using the findings, we were able to redesign and implement a more modern website, thereby leading to greater traffic and revenue uplift.

I Learned: As cliché as it sounds, I learned that Australians truly have a work-to-live, rather than a live-to-work mentality. It was common among employees to hit the pub during midday for a drink or two before finishing up the last few hours of their day. Additionally, the lunch breaks were long, very long. I was encouraged to take off 45 minutes to an hour for lunch as opposed to the American workplace, which usually limits lunch to 15 to 30 minutes, at least from my past experiences. At my workplace, a “standup” was also held at the end of every week. The standup was the company’s social get-together. It was a great way to just kick back and have a couple of beers with some mates.

In terms of a personal learning experience, I learned to manage my budget wisely, especially while studying abroad in a country like Australia, where most things are twice the price of that in America (including alcohol). Because traveling was my priority, I had to make some sacrifices. My groceries consisted mainly of home brand labels and I cut back heavily on unnecessary items like junk foods.

What Surprised Me: I was very surprised to learn how lightly I could pack for my travels. On all the various trips I took around Australia and parts of Asia, I carried a single Swiss Gear backpack that held about a week’s worth of clothing max. I learned to leave behind unnecessary items and just unplug myself from technology while traveling. Personally, I think traveling is about being in the moment, and by carrying only necessities, I was truly able to do that.

Hardest Part: The hardest part of studying abroad in Australia was definitely trying to fit everything I wanted to do under my budget. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to do everything on my bucket list. Fortunately, I got to visit all the places that I prioritized highly. It’s not always feasible to visit everywhere, but I think with careful planning and budget management, traveling to the places you want to visit most is doable.

Best Part: The best part of going through the Management Internship Program was definitely being able to “live abroad” rather than just “study abroad.” Unlike the Sydney Internship Program, the management program allowed us to study at the University of Sydney. Being able to study at an Australian institution was not only a great change in setting, but also it was a great way to interact with Australian students and learn more about their culture. From working in an Australian company to studying at an Australian institution, I felt like I was actually living abroad for 6 months.

My Tips: The best tip I can give to those in the management program is to just take in every moment. The six-month program starts to feel a bit long around month 5 and the anticipation of returning home starts to kick in, however, my best advice is to just fight that feeling of wanting to leave. Be in the moment as much as possible because like everything else, time seems to fly by quickly in retrospect. A couple of points I think are important to highlight:

  • Walk a lot – it’s the best way to see the city.
  • Appreciate the coffee and avoid Starbucks while you can.
  • Get away from your BU friends and surround yourself with Australians.
  • Hold back your pride a bit and don’t be that loud and obnoxious American.

 

Bronwen Ambridge, Paris Internship Program

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Paris Pic 1Interned in fashion marketing with Jasmin Santanen, Summer 2013

Internship: I worked for a designer, Jasmin Santanen, who designs luxury apparel for women by combining Nordic simplicity and Parisian elegance. Her first couture collection was presented in Paris in 2007 for which she was recognized with the “Elle Style Award” for best collection of the year.

As an intern, I took on a variety of tasks such as working on brand development presentations, researching material and compiling summary documents.

What I learned: Living in a French-speaking environment allows you to experience the French culture and language in a way you never could in the classroom. I became more accustomed to hearing French everyday and picked up colloquial sayings. I enjoyed French customs and culture such as French cuisine, museums, beautiful gardens, walking along the River Seine and stunning architecture. Studying abroad is essential when you are learning a different language because these are experiences you cannot get in school.

Compared to other work experiences: When studying international management, it is important to understand all perspectives, so it is beneficial to have work experience internationally. In Paris, I learned the European perspective on fashion, which would have been hard to do working in North America. Paris is one of the centers of the fashion industry, and, therefore, an excellent place to have work experience if you are interested in pursuing this field.

Hardest Part: When people spoke to me in French, I understood them. The most difficult part was not being afraid to make mistakes especially when communicating with the locals. Although this was challenging at times, constantly speaking French was how I improved.

Best Part: One thing I would recommend is to live with a French family, as this was one of the best parts of my experience. For this program, you have the option to live in dormitory style housing or with a host family. My host family was welcoming and friendly. They always spoke to me in French, which helped improve my language speaking skills immensely. Overall, they really made me feel at home while living abroad.

Another great part of my time abroad was my internship. For anyone who is interested in fashion, I would suggest working in Paris. I worked closely with my boss, the designer, throughout my internship, and I had a wonderful experience.

Blair Lineham–Auckland Management Internship Program

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NZ North Island 1Interned in Market Research for SIMTICS, a medical e-Learning application for learning to perform surgeries and ultrasounds through simulation.

If you’re thinking of studying abroad, I cannot highly enough recommend doing so. My cousin graduated from BU 3 years ago and told me that his biggest regret in college was not studying abroad. I took the hint and headed to New Zealand for 6 months.

Internship: SIMTICS is a very small company and I worked virtually, but physically operated out of the BizDojo, which is a co-working space for entrepreneurs, designers, developers, videographers, and tons of other creatives. It was a really great environment for collaboration, as people would constantly ask each other for feedback on projects, and often times these conversations would turn into them working with each other on something. I met a lot of really interesting people working on cool projects.

For the internship, I did a lot of research on schools in the United States. New Zealand is a relatively small country, and the USA represents a huge market for companies producing virtual goods and services. I helped build out SIMTICS’ database of potential customers, but also got to give a lot of marketing feedback and advice for the company. I loved sitting in on monthly meetings (it was just the four of us), and getting to share my honest feedback and perspective on the company’s efforts. Experiencing decision-making and feedback in real time in an environment like that is something I really learned from. I’m really interested in entrepreneurship and it was great to gain the perspective of a start-up company on the rise.

Perspective: I met a lot of really down-to-earth classmates, as the Auckland Program had me studying at the University of Auckland. It was interesting to learn in a non-BU and non-American schooling environment. Being there for multiple months really allowed me to soak in the local culture. New Zealand is just a sliver of the world, but having met so many great people there really shows me there are amazing people all over the world. Going to another country allows you to connect with like-minded people that you had NO idea even existed.

Travel: This is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and we were fortunate to have so much free time to explore it. The highlight for me was a 10-day car tour through the South Island, where we slept in tents each night and hiked and explored in the day. The scenery was mind-blowing, and I got to know my fellow abroaders a lot better in such an environment. The climate change throughout different parts of the country is incredible in New Zealand. The last week in New Zealand, my family came to visit and we went skiing in perfect snow. Exploring both the North and South islands are essential.

I was really happy with my internship and continue to do work with the company. So incredibly satisfied with my Study Abroad experience, I can’t see why someone wouldn’t take the jump. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Brieana Garcia, Los Angeles Internship–Film & TV Track

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Interned in Distribution at Lionsgate Entertainment (famous for The Hunger Games) and in Marketing at TheWrap.com, a digital news organization, Spring 2013

Internship: For Lionsgate, I did a lot of analytical work. My job was in the home entertainment aspect of distribution, so I had many tasks, such as researching ratings for movies that had aired on television to even picking out which of their films would end up on Hulu Plus.

For TheWrap.com, I worked with their second website, Powergrid.com, and made sure that the data on it was up to date as well as found ways to promote the site to their preferred target markets.

I Learned: What was so great about living in L.A. that I didn’t understand before was just that L.A. is like no city I’ve ever been in. It’s not as big as New York, nor as walkable as Boston. It’s so unique and so entertainment focused; everything in the city is hyper-focused on the entertainment world.

I also learned how important it is to be connected, and how easy it is to be connected. I was able to meet famous executives from big companies who I learned, after speaking to them, had gone to Boston University and was impressed that I was from there as well. The L.A. program really gave me the opportunity to dip my toes into the working world while still having the safety net of being in school.

Comparing/Contrasting My Work Experiences: In all honesty, there were probably many more similarities than differences. The only big difference I saw between the businesses on the east and west coasts was how casually dressed people were (and at Lionsgate, the dress code was only down to business casual). Other than that, Lionsgate had a very corporate environment. I did not have the opportunity to work in the production department, which might have had a more dissimilar experience to the east coast, but I’ve learned that studios have two sides – the corporate one and the creative one. I was more on corporate. The other major difference between Boston and L.A. was that the sun was shining in January.

For TheWrap, I had never worked anywhere near a newsroom previously, so I was shocked to see how loud and fast paced it was. Apparently, this is true for all newsrooms, not just ones trying to scoop director information from The Hollywood Reporter.

Hardest Parts: The hardest parts of the experience would be two things. One was a school requirement: running back from work and then sitting in class for three hours a day. Granted, I choose to work full time (which many people didn’t), so I didn’t give myself the chance to relax. The other worst part was the commute. Originally I had a car. However, it ended up being too expensive, so I took the bus. If anyone reading this considers taking public transportation, please try to leave a half hour early. Then you might be on time. There was also the traffic in general. Traffic in L.A. is awful – if it should take twenty minutes to go somewhere, it probably really takes an hour. But trying to navigate all of that while taking classes full time AND while trying just to survive in the city was challenging, but when things worked out, it was awesome.

Best Parts: I had a lot of best parts of my experience! I guess just working at Lionsgate was a thrill for me because I got to see a lot of the small behind-the-scenes action that no one really thinks of. (For example, I walked past the mail room and saw the original art piece for the new Mad Men poster). Working at TheWrap got me a great experience because I had the opportunity to work an Oscar Party and meet celebrities and have conversations with them. The celebrities included Jessica Chastain, Chris Tucker, and Kathryn Bigelow. But I guess what was also really a lot of fun was being in Los Angles, a city that is so filled with film experiences. I had the opportunity to check out the Iron Man 3 premiere; go to WonderCon and see directors, actors, showrunners, and writers talk about upcoming projects (like Guillermo del Toro and Pacific Rim); and I got to see tapings of shows like The Voice.

I think the best professional aspect of my study abroad trip was the fact that I have experience working in Hollywood. I had the opportunity to get a summer job at NBCUniversal because I had marketing experience and experience working in distribution, something that would rarely happen on the east coast. I feel that if anyone enjoys the entertainment field and wants to try it, L.A. is the best opportunity. Not only are you in the action, but it gives you experiences and connections in the field that would be potentially unobtainable.

Rachel Kerrigan, London Internship–Management Track

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Interned in Marketing with yoomi, a small start-up company, Spring 2013

Internship: I interned for yoomi, a small start-up that created a self-warming baby bottle. Yes, you read that correctly. I was a marketing intern but was able to get involved in a lot of different projects since the company was very small. For my first project, I researched and created a list of independent stores and boutiques in the UK that the company could potentially sell to. This project helped the company prepare for a trade show.

I also worked on the new support page that was launching on their website. The support page is intended to be a resource for new parents with helpful advice. I was given a list of topics, then researched and wrote the articles for the page. I really enjoyed the chance to be able to work on a project that involved more creativity. I learned the importance of maintaining a concise marketing message.

The internship was one of my favorite parts of the entire abroad experience. I learned a lot and was able to get to know my co-workers.

I Learned: I learned that it’s really easy to stick to your American ways even in Europe, but that doesn’t mean you should. It’s possible to get around without knowing a word of another language. There are McDonalds and Starbucks in most cities. You can only truly experience another culture if you make an active effort to go outside your comfort zone.

Comparing/Contrasting My Work Experiences: The biggest difference I noticed is that British people are not as straightforward. I was accustomed to supervisors directly telling me what to do or what not to do. When giving instructions, my co-workers at yoomi were much less direct, often asking, “Could you do this when you get the chance?” or, “You could work on this project, if you don’t mind.” I think this says a lot about the differences between American and British culture.

I don’t know if this is true of all British offices, but my co-workers were much less rigid with time than people I’ve worked with in the US. Meetings were often pushed back or scheduled at the last minute, which meant I had to throw away my type-A tendencies and be a little more flexible.

I would say that British people have a similar work ethic to Americans. Though some aspects of my work environment were more laid-back, my co-workers definitely put a lot into their work.

Hardest Part: The hardest part for me was being so far away from my family and friends. I learned that I could no longer just call up my mom on a whim (unless if I wanted to spend a fortune on minutes). Skype is a beautiful thing.

Best Part: I loved being able to travel all around Europe, experiencing language barriers and cultures that are vastly different. This was my first time abroad, which made it all the more exciting!

Blair Sheets, Sydney Internship

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Interned in Sales and Marketing with Hayman, a luxury private island resort, Spring 2013

Internship: I interned at Hayman a five star private island resort off the eastern coast of Australia near the Great Barrier Reef. The sales and marketing team is based in Sydney, and they coordinate corporate group, incentive and wedding events on the island. I, personally, was able to cultivate business in both the Weddings and C&I departments.

I Learned: I learned how to adapt to a new social and work culture. Despite the similarities in language and history, it was amazing to see how different Australia is from America.

Comparing/Contrasting My Work Experiences: Working in Australia was an amazing opportunity to let my abilities shine. In the USA most of my internships have required me to file and fetch coffee; whereas, in Australia I feel that my talents were truly recognized and utilized. I was able to connect with customers and prepare proposals and contracts for events that could bring in up to $400,000 in revenue for Hayman.

I also really appreciated learning about the work/life balance in Australia. Australians are definitely work hard, play hard people. For the majority of the week, they work longer hours than 9-5 p.m.; however, when the clock strikes 4 p.m. on Friday, everyone stops to grab a glass of wine together and socialize. Combine this with the required 4 weeks annual leave, and you’ve got a pretty appealing job system.

Hardest Part: The most difficult part of my experience was adjusting to Australia’s “no worries” mentality. While they are definitely on their game, Australians are much more relaxed than Americans. At times I was caught off guard because I was still in the American mentality that every little thing is a big deal that needs to be dealt with ASAP. It was nice to take a step back and breathe.

Best Part: The best part of my experience abroad was getting to try new things and meet people. In Australia an American looks like part of the general population until we open our mouths. Then immediately you have someone wanting to know all about you. It was amazing to talk to so many different people and hear their stories. I also loved all of the adventure available in Australia: bungee jumping, skydiving and scuba diving are experiences I will never forget!

 

Erin Lam, London Internship–Management Track

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Interned in Information Systems and Marketing at Whizz-Kidz, Spring 2013

Internship: I interned at Whizz-Kidz, a non-profit organization that raises funds to provide mobility equipment for physically and/or mentally disabled children throughout the United Kingdom. My primary responsibilities involved the Children Services Department, where I collected and analyzed client information through a central database and then relayed the information to improve their overall business processes. In addition, I assisted in creating marketing strategies and preparing for the charity’s participation in the London Marathon.

I Learned: My internship experience gave me an intriguing insight into alternative health care policies. It is well known that there is a free health care system throughout Britain. Thus, in comparison the United States systems, this indicates very different responsibilities for health professionals, technology, insurance companies, and sponsors in Britain.

I also learned how cultural and/or overall environmental differences can impact businesses and the way in which managerial procedures are run. Amongst the scope of politics, technology, and other environmental factors, business managers must be cognizant of the discrepancies between domestic and foreign markets then adjust their strategies when managing operations elsewhere. I did not realize how important cultural understanding was until it affected me in my workplace.

Comparing/Contrasting My Work Experiences: A major similarity I noticed between my work experiences in the U.S. and the U.K. is the high degree of working in teams. Both experiences encouraged team work in completion of a project as well as introduced me to people with unique cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

An intriguing activity that I experienced in London was weekly “afternoon tea” where different departments would bring food, snacks, and tea to celebrate the end of each week. This enhances office cohesion and introduces people from different departments to each other who would not have met each otherwise. It was unlike anything I have ever experienced before in the work place.

Hardest Part: Working under culturally different ethics and adhering to them was a major challenge for me. I realized that the way in which problems were resolved was very different in my London internship than my previous work experiences in the U.S. I once worked at a technology consultant group in the U.S. where compromising with the client was the ideal approach to settling a dispute. Meanwhile, at my internship in London, most of their work practices seemed more focused on finding the most effective solution to a conflict. This was especially difficult when working in teams because I was often tempted to make a compromise while my teammates were more focused on figuring out which of the options was the “right solution.” Finding the balance between ‘compromising’ and ‘directly solving’ was incredibly satisfying and led to impressive results.

Best Part: Meeting and making British friends! It was strange to be considered as ‘the visitor from America,’ but they taught me so much about their culture and took me to places I would not have gone to otherwise.

 

Taylor Stein, London Internship Program–Advertising & Marketing

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Interned as a Marketing Assistant at a Mahiki-Island-themed bar and nightclub, Spring 2013

I Learned: Academically, I discovered how to connect what I learned in International Marketing (MK467) to real life experiences. I also learned how work culture varies depending on which country you are located and how the local population responds to different media and marketing tactics.

Personally, I learned  how to budget my time and money efficiently, how to navigate a foreign city, how to survive without 3G, the importance of respecting and understanding different local cultures, and how diversity truly enriches your life experiences.

Comparing/Contrasting My Work Experiences: The UK workplace is extremely relaxed. Deadlines, e-mails, and language are all casual and everyone in the office place seems to be on the same page. British people take work seriously, but they seem to work to live as opposed to the American culture in which people seem to live to work.

Hardest Part: The hardest part was initially adapting to the surroundings, getting acquainted with the public transportation and neighborhood.

Best Part: The best part was travelling around Europe: exploring the differences in food, nightlife, language, and social norms. I also enjoyed working with truly talented, fun, and interesting people who not only wanted me to learn from the internship but also to enjoy it.

 

Ming-Dan Zheng, Shanghai Internship Program

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The City of Shanghai from the Ming Pearl Towers

Interned as a Commercial and Marketing Associate with the  SARBEC Laboratories, Spring 2012

Internship: SARBEC is a French cosmetics company that is conducting business development in China. Completing CORE the semester before I went abroad really helped me in this internship because essentially this internship was one large CORE project. I had to look at marketing, operations, information systems, and financial aspects of the company’s development in China. Part of my job included traveling with my manager to different parts of China to search for reliable suppliers and distributors for our packaging and distribution. On business trips, I had the opportunity to translate for my manager from English to Chinese and vice versa; this gave me the chance to use Mandarin in a professional setting. I was also a part of the marketing efforts, which allowed me to research competitor products and to incorporate the 4P’s and branding strategies. As we are now in the digital age, a website is imperative for a successful company; therefore, I created a domain name and set up the company website. Towards the end of my internship, I got to work with some numbers to forecast future revenues and costs as well as optimization scenarios.

I Learned: I learned about the reliance on connections and relationships when conducting business on all levels. Additionally, I learned that Shanghai use to be a fishing village, and now it’s one of the world’s most flourishing and modern cities.

Hardest Part: The hardest part was finding relevant information on the internet. One can find all information he or she doesn’t need but will not find useful information when searching for business material. I needed to use other ways to reach the information I needed.

Best Part: The best part was exploring the awesome city of Shanghai that consists of an abundance of history. I also did a lot of traveling during my time in China. I visited Beijing, Hongzhou, Suzhou, Yunnan, Yiwu, Fuzhou, Huangchun in Anhui.

Andrew Berkman, Sydney Internship Program—Business & Econ Track

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Intern in Sports Marketing with the Australian Rugby Union, Spring 2012

Internship: After arriving in Sydney, I got an interview and accepted my internship with the Australian Rugby Union within Community Rugby, a department that promotes the sport across the country to school-aged children, organizing tournaments and Gala Days.  Another intern and I also had the opportunity to work at the National Women’s Sevens Rugby Championship.

I Learned: The study abroad experience taught me more than I truly expected.  I learned the Australian people are some of the most hospitable and entertaining people I have met, and their culture is truly unique.  I also figured out where I may want to live to pursue a career following graduation.

Comparing/Contrasting My Work Experiences: Since most of my internship experiences prior to the semester were finance related, they were vastly different from my experience with the Australian Rugby Union.  My two finance internships were in much larger work environments with more hierarchical and strict company cultures, while the ARU was more organic.  The Rugby Union was absolutely open to new ideas and opinions from a foreign intern.  On Thursdays we also had the opportunity to play touch rugby with our fellow colleagues including former players and current Wallabies coaches.

Hardest Part: The hardest part of the experience was by far budgeting my money.  Australia is an extremely expensive country; however, the experiences we shared were absolutely worth it.  It’s an amazing place.

Best Part: The best part of my experience was renting a car with two of my friends for the weekend surfing and swimming Byron Bay and then hiking around the rain forests of Southern Queensland.  I also spent a week at the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest snorkeling, hiking, skydiving and bungee jumping. I could go on forever about my positive experience and the friends I made during the program.