Carter Gross explored the strategic planning and financial investment sector of media as a summer intern with PHD Media.
How did you land your internship?
I chose this internship last summer after speaking with a connection I had in the advertising industry. They connected me to a finance-focused internship role with a large company, which I knew was a great opportunity. After being in that role, I became interested in the strategic planning and financial investment side of media. Throughout my internship, I worked on tasks that helped expand my knowledge of media strategy and investment. I was only working on the investment side during my past media internship, so seeing the strategic planning side was very interesting.
If you worked on a big project, describe it.
For my internship project, my team and I dove deep into how we could advance the company-wide technology platform to measure demographics and return on investment (ROI) within our company. I discovered that there was no way to measure consumer loyalty within brands, so I worked with the technology team on how this type of research could be implemented. After many meetings and research, I created a presentation on how customer loyalty data could be implemented across the entire network of agencies. I explained the benefits of adding this feature by focusing on how it would benefit our brand partners and I received positive feedback from the executive sponsor.
What did you find most challenging about your internship?
Completing the internship project I described in the previous question was the most challenging part of my internship because it required me to reach out to agency members who weren't on my immediate team for help. While everyone was accommodating, I had to step out of my comfort zone and ask specific questions to higher-ups with very busy schedules, which was a bit intimidating. In doing the presentation, I also learned how to use Canva and different chart tools to visualize the data, which are great transferable skills.
What was your favorite or most satisfying part of your internship?
The most satisfying part of my internship was getting to know other people in the media industry on a more personal level and making friends. I enjoyed being around the office with a lot of new people! Being able to problem solve with seasoned professionals in the media industry was a very cool experience and motivated me to continue on this career path. Small tasks such as sending emails, making presentations, or contributing to meeting with clients were all interesting parts of my internship experience.
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?
My internship experience influenced my plans because I will likely move into a job somewhere in the media industry. Understanding the strategic side of media planning and investment has helped me become more knowledgeable on how the agency runs and will help me on the investment or sales side if that’s where I go post-grad. After completing this internship experience, I feel confident about being able to step into any entry-level role in the media/marketing industry.
What advice do you have for other students as they search for their internship?
I'd recommend that anyone searching for an internship look for any and all experiences and to take advantage of presented opportunities. Before last summer, I was very hesitant to apply to and accept my internship because it was something new; I would usually go away to sleepaway camp as a counselor for the summers. Summer camp was a lot of fun and it included all of my friends (it would've been my 12th summer at camp). While most of my friends had a recreation-filled summer at the lake, I decided to take on the unfamiliar route and start an internship a year early.
The decision led me to have a great experience and put me on track to pursue a career in different parts of advertising, marketing and media. Without last summer, my head would've been in a completely different space, and I'm grateful for my father pushing me to take early steps toward professional development. It is never too early to gain workplace experience and if an opportunity presents itself early, take it!