Summer 2015 Young Professional Roundup

Hard to believe it but our summer is coming to an end. We had such a great batch of interns this year who are a testament to the future of our industry and we’re so excited about it! We asked them to send us their advice to aspiring industry professionals stemming from their own career or intern experience. This is what they had to say!

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Jason Jacobs, Account Manager at AOL Platforms: @jsjcbs

Several years ago someone gave me the biggest compliment I could have ever received and I really don’t think he knows the impact of what he said. He told me that if our office would have an election for mayor, that I would win. I repeat his words humbly because I’m not sure I fully live up to them, but I use this at motivation to keep trying. He went on to to talk about the importance of being someone who other people enjoy working with and this is really the best advice I can share with others.

Be someone who others enjoy working with. 

Be friendly, happy, reliable and caring. Be the person that other people want around and who can positively change the atmosphere in a room just by being in it. How well you do your job is important but how well you do it with the people around you is even more. If you’re as lucky as I am you’ll get to work with some amazing people but if you’re even luckier you’ll form lasting friendships. In 20, 30, 40+ years from now the specifics of your job will likely be long forgotten but the quality relationships you build and how people think about you will last for years beyond that. Think of the type of person you want to be and then live that each day.

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Catherine Satcher, Advertising Club of NY Intern at Digital Pulp: @CatSatch

Mentorships Mean Everything

As I get ready to leave the city and complete my final year as an AD major at the University of Georgia, I have come to realize how important mentorships have been in my pursuits. Without the mentors I have encountered along the way, I would not have reached the place where I am now. I first came to realize the value of these mentorships as I joined the AdClub at UGA and applied for a mentorship program with the Atlanta Broadcast Advertising Club. Upon acceptance to the program I was paired with a professional in the industry, to whom I am forever thankful for her guidance and insight. Heather was a huge influence in my decision to leave my familiar Atlanta home, encouraging me to challenge myself and expand my horizons in New York. I have learned that the adverting industry is all about making connections and building upon those connections to excel and truly unveil the interworkings of the industry. I credit much of my knowledge and understanding to professors and organizations that have versed me in my academic pursuits, but cannot express how truly influential mentorships outside of school have been in preparing me for what lies ahead.

Being accepted into the Advertising Club of NY’s Summer Internship Program was without a doubt one of my greatest accomplishments. I have learned so much, not only from getting hands on experience at Digital Pulp, but being able to hear from professionals all across the industry. The mentorship pairing within this program excited me from the get-go. I am able to share my passion for strategy and the digital world with Izzie Wragg, a global consultant at OgilvyRED as a part of this pairing. Meeting up with her throughout the summer has given me the knowledge and confidence to go out and try new things and make the most of my internship here. I am extremely thankful for the people I have networked with and connected with along the way and can’t advise future interns enough to go out and make these connections and most importantly, follow up!

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See intern Samantha Kafka’s 10 points of how to land your dream internship at a premier ad agency in her blog post, titled, “The Struggle Is Real; Landing an Internship at an Ad Agency.”