What are some tips for someone who wants to land their first internship in marketing?

Good Afternoon Devetra

My name is Jason, and I work at Google in University Programs, and previously in career services at Stony Brook University. If you are looking for your first internship, I suggest to ensure that your professional brand is as good as it can be. Your professional brand reflects your professional reputation, what you are known for or even what you want to be known for. You best communicate this professional brand through things like your resume & references (past experience), etiquette when you are meeting professionals, etc. Coming across as an experienced, polite professional can help you a lot.

Resume: Ensure that your resume is formatted well and easy to read. Put activities/extracurriculars you are apart of on top of your school and relevant work experience to show that you are a well-rounded, accomplished individual. When listing what duties/responsibilities you held, be specific, demonstrate your impact, and use numbers when you can (e.g. Developed and executed new marketing strategy that increased sales by 20%).

Etiquette: This is not only what you say and how you act when you are networking, but also interview etiquette. Make sure you're dressed the part if you're at a mixer or a formal interview. It's usually better to be over-dressed than under-dressed (I showed up to my interview at Google in a full suit, while my interviewer was in jeans and a tshirt). You want to demonstrate that you are smart/fun/intelligent on paper, but also in person. There is no one magic thing to say, or one way to act, but it's how you carry yourself as a person.

I'm sure that your career center, friends and even professors can help in these regards. Don't be afraid to reach out to them for questions, as they are resources to help you. I know my explanations were pretty general, but I hope this helped a bit.

For a marketing internship if you lack "real-world" experience, employers are always looking for transferable and soft skills. First, think about what areas of marketing interest you. Even a simple Google search can be helpful to learn more about the different career paths in marketing. Do you enjoy writing (maybe you'd be a good fit for a content internship)? Do you enjoy organizing (maybe you'd be a good fit for an event internship)? Do you enjoy data (maybe you'd be good at digital analytics)?

Once you have an idea of the types of roles that interest you, determine how your skills align with the position you want to apply to. Think about a time you showed initiative/leadership, positiveness/eagerness to learn, adaptability, professional communication skills or critical thinking. Relate those scenarios back to the job you are applying for and tailor your resume examples to that position. Also don't be afraid to use your network, chances are a family friend's company is hiring a marketing intern.

When you land an interview, be professional, dress professional and be prepared (bring your resume and questions to ask the interviewer)! There are tons of great articles out there to help you prepare. Always remember to send a "thank you" email -- I can't tell you how many people I have interviewed who have not sent a thank you. It's a simple gesture that shows the interviewer how much you appreciate their time.

Marketing is a fantastic profession because there are so many industries and various roles you can take. For example, I started in market research moved on to content/writing and now I focus on marketing campaign management. Each of my previous roles laid a foundation for my next.

Good luck!