4 Lessons from 4 Months at an Ad Agency
Team One Apprentices!
Over the past four months I had the opportunity to be the new business and agency marketing group apprentice at a full service advertising agency in Playa Vista called Team One. Days before the start date in May, I had no idea what to expect. Better yet, I started off with a bad cold to complement the nerves of starting my first Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 job (s/o to the AMG Team for putting up with my constant sneezing).
I expected that an apprenticeship at an advertising agency would be far different from anything I had previously experienced, but it turned out to be better than I imagined. From Day 1, I was welcomed as an equal on the team. I was asked to compile research decks, maintain master prospecting lists, keep the content calendar up-to-date, manage the social media sites, newsletters and the website, and help out with whatever new business or PR tasks came up throughout the day.
My favorite project was when I put together a deck that compared 10 agencies with unique company cultures and analyzed their social media tactics. With the research, I pulled together a list of takeaways and got to implement some of those ideas into the Team One social media channels throughout the summer.
Some days were more challenging than others, but it felt great knowing I was put to work on valuable tasks, not to mention, just how much I learned while working here. I can confidently say that the entire apprentice group, was able to complete this summer feeling far more equipped than when we started.
At the end of the day, I think a lot of the success from the apprenticeship comes from the culture at Team One. I never thought I could feel comfortable in an advertising agency environment (cue me, a self-proclaimed introvert, watching Mad Men) but Team One doesn’t mess around when they say they put their employees first. The work/life balance is of high value here, and the result is quality work.
Moving forward, some of the lessons I learned from a summer at Team One are to:
Never stop asking questions
I’m very curious by nature so, my favorite part about #internlife is that every day is a learning experience. I think it's important to challenge yourself to keep asking questions no matter how big or small.
Step out of your comfort zone at least once a day
As someone who is more on the quiet side in an industry based on getting your voice heard, I had to continually push myself out of my shell. However, the good news is that every step out of my comfort zone is a step in the right direction.
Listen, observe and learn from everyone around you
That is where the best learning comes from.
Put down that third cup of coffee-you’ll thank me later