Barely a month ago I was still unsure of my summer plans, and today I started my day as a BrandMuscle intern, with an office-wide pancake breakfast in the middle of a marketing powerhouse! What began as an interest in growing my digital marketing skills led me into an organization that truly does it all.
As a Digital Marketing Intern at BrandMuscle, my role is at an intersection of two different BMI product offerings—I get to work with social media content management for various clients, while I also get to work with LocationBuilder, BMI’s microsite and dynamic landing page platform. While these two things may not be directly connected, they both utilize current digital marketing research, and having a role that comprises these two services is leading me daily to new practice of what I’ve studied. In addition to learning about my job functions, I am surrounded by 200 marketing, business, and tech experts. I’m convinced that I’ve found the best launch pad for my career.
On my first day, admittedly after I took the wrong set of elevators, I ascended (nervously) to the fifth floor. Before I could really freak out, I was through the doors and welcomed to BMI. After a day full of introductions, tours, office practices, I left work beaming! It was clear that the company really cared to welcome us and had intentionally created a process for our onboarding. Thankfully, that first day set the tone for all of the rest so far.
During my first week, my manager brought me into a meeting that was exclusively Vice Presidents and Directors of BMI departments. In my short time here, I have already gotten to experience what it is like day-to-day managing crucial client relationships.
Through the digital team, I have been introduced one-on-one to many of the facets that we oversee: Search Engine Optimization, Location Data Management, Email Tactics, Digital Brochures, Paid Media, Social Media, and Site Management. In team meetings, I’ve learned from presentations and discussions from my coworkers on groundbreaking research on voice search or workflow management systems. It also helps that they are HILARIOUS! I’ve been working, laughing, and growing with them every day.
Within the BrandMuscle intern cohort, we are split into different groups that are researching different clients and the ways that BMI may be able to help. This summer-long project has already created close bonds between us in addition to creating opportunities for us to meet with people all across the company. All the interns eat lunch together daily or stop by each others’ cubicles to say hello.
I have actually been able to contribute to active projects and in my first few weeks have learned a tremendous amount about BMI’s product offerings and services. I’ve already managed social content from start to finish, edited content on landing pages, and done research for my team on new trends in digital, among other things. It feels great that I have meaningful work to do and contribute to my team.
To literally put the cherry on top, each week in summer includes an Ice Cream Thursday! BMI does a great job of providing a fun environment for the company as a whole. There are monthly birthday celebrations, weekly snack days, special events for fundraising, and 24/7 free coffee (my favorite part). It all wraps together into a feeling of connectedness within the company that is so important for workplace culture.
Though my first month has flown by, I still have two months left. I keep a list of all of the things that I intend to learn and the people that I hope to learn from before the end of the summer. I have nothing but high hopes for the rest of my time with BrandMuscle, and I look forward to all of the knowledge and experience that I’ll gain in the next two months.