The typical undergraduate marketing internship is largely observation, as interns watch their superiors do their work. They also perform extensive administrative work for their superiors, such as drafting company calendars and working on employee schedules. During this time, they witness the full scale of marketing duties, such as those relating to advertising, public relations, promotions, direct marketing, and viral marketing. They are also introduced to graphics programs used in marketing, such as Adobe Dreamweaver, In-Design, and Photoshop. The most prestigious internship consists of a highly structured internship program, in which interns attend seminars and apprentice themselves to a superior. Other interns perform duties as and when needed by the company. Yet, most undergraduate marketing internships require students to participate 10-20 hours per week. These internships also allow students to earn course credits that may enable them to graduate ahead of schedule.
Both undergraduate and graduate marketing internships usually take place at marketing firms, small businesses, non-profit organizations, ad agencies, newspapers, and broadcast companies. These diversified businesses share many goals for their marketing interns. They coach them on how to identify market trends, produce eye-catching marketing materials (such as brochures), become fluent in marketing-software programs, learn generalized marketing procedures, analyze products of competitors, and conduct presentations. They also show interns how to compile marketing collateral, like media pertaining to products and services (such as brochures and web content).
Internships are also beneficial because they help marketing students narrow down their marketing specialization. For instance, one intern may decide to focus on online marketing, while another intern may choose to study acquisition marketing. This specialization allows marketing interns to obtain more job opportunities after graduation. An intern who is interested in marketing finance, for example, may decide to major in accounting and later take on an accounting internship to complement those studies. In addition, marketing interns may gain insight into their preferred type of company, such as a communications company or a pharmaceutical firm, which will further bring their career paths into sharper focus.
While many internship programs are designed for undergraduate interns, an equal amount is tailored to Master of Business Administration (MBA) students. An undergraduate-level marketing internship typically involves more administrative work, such as fielding calls and faxing paperwork. An MBA internship, in contrast, is assumed to have already completed those dues in previous internships and work-study programs. Therefore, this type of internship is more of a hands-on learning experience that permits interns to take on more leadership responsibilities. These responsibilities often include strategizing marketing campaigns, communicating with vendors, and even meeting with clients. MBA interns may also perform their share of administrative duties, such as creating spreadsheets and providing database management. More often, however, they are encouraged to roll up their sleeves and participate in ongoing marketing projects.
MBA internships are typically designed to place students alongside experienced professionals who act as their mentors. Besides training interns, these mentors give interns detailed feedback on their progress as well as recommendations for further professional development. Furthermore, an MBA internship is often an intensive summer program that usually demands 20-30 hours per week. Moreover, students are often paid an average of $3500 per month, though those who work for non-profits may have to forgo payment altogether. MBA internships are also highly selective in their admissions, as they often have many more candidates than they can take.
Many renowned MBA internships reserve a number of qualified interns for jobs following their graduation from their MBA program. When Interns perform, well and demonstrate their job competence, they get an added advantage of their superiors knowing how they interact with other employees. Even if they are not put on reserve for jobs, interns gain valuable networking contacts that can help them on new job opportunities and introduce them to other worthwhile contacts.
The requirements for undergraduate marketing internships are minimal, same for a major in marketing or a similar field. Prestigious internships for high-end companies may require a minimum GPA level, a record of leadership, and previous work-study experience. In contrast, there are rigorous requirements for many MBA marketing internships, including outstanding academic performance after one year at an accredited, full-time MBA program.
