Notes from an Advertising Executive

By Joe Grimaldi
Chief Executive Officer
Mullen

Here are some thoughts from Joe Grimaldi who is the CEO at Mullen. Mullen is a renowned advertising agency with locations in Massachussetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan. As a huge supporter the internship program, Joe actively engages with interns on various occasions. He speaks to them during their first week during a lunch and learn session, judges their final new business presentation, and loves to get to know them in the cafeteria.

1. What do you feel is the most differentiating feature about Mullen’s internship program, and how has this benefited the students, and the agency?

“We care about the education the interns get and put time, energy and senior management involvement into it. We need the best people to come into the business if we are to be a competitive industry, and the best way to do that is to help shape them. It’s an industry cause.”

2. Did you intern anywhere before you started working? If so, where? What was it like?

“No. I got lucky and walked out of school in Manhattan and into the media department of a top 5 agency.”

3. Name one trait you love to see in your interns, but feel you don’t see enough of?

“Two things, actually: 1) Being a sponge that absorbs everything with unbridled enthusiasm and organized thought. 2) The ability to voice original thought and ideas in a way that is not easily dismissed by people with significantly more experience.”

For more internship related tips, visit the InternshipRatings.com advice column Take Note

InternshipRatings.com at Boston University's PRSSA Event

This weekend was full of events for InternshipRatings.com! We attended "PR Advanced" PRSSA Goes 2.o," which was hosted by the Boston University and Simmons College Chapters of Public Relations Student Society of America. The conference was held at B.U. and included various representatives from local PR firms as well as students from B.U., Simmons and University of Rhode Island. Our favorite speaker at the conference was THE social media guru, David Meerman Scott. He is the successful author of best-selling book The New Rules of Marketing and PR. He believes in the use of social media (blogs, podcasts, social media releases, viral marketing and online media) to promote products and measure success rather than old methods like clip books and newspaper articles. The first time we heard David Meerman Scott speak was at Boston PodCamp in the fall. This time we learned some great new things about PR and the blogging world. Scott is a huge believer in the power of blogs and their large reach (his blog gets thousands of its daily). What we found most interesting is the fact that Scott's book sold more copies when it was featured on his blog as opposed to when the New York Times published an article about it!

At the end of the conference was a career fair with companies like Schneider Associates, Racepoint Group, 360 Public Relations, Fleishman Hillard, Weber Shandwick, Cone and yours truly InternshipRatings.com! Seniors and underclassmen socialized with these well respected firms about jobs and internships. (Surprisingly, the Public Relations industry is just starting to hire employees and interns.) We were excited to mix and mingle with students and learn about their internship experiences. Companies were even interested (and slightly scared) to discover their company reputation. Whether your last experience was fabulous or a waste of time,  don't forget to rate it so that other interns can make a more informed decision for this summer! 

We look forward to seeing you soon.

--Stephanie and Lauren

Internship Ratings of the Week: Omniture, Inc.

This week I have decided to review the rating for Omniture, Inc. This rating stands out to me because of the working environment this user experienced. From what I gather, Omniture is a fast-paced media company that understands the importance of an internship. This user states that there was always something to do and "never felt like I was given busy work or work that was insubstantial." Obviously, this is very important to future internship applicants. At this company, you can leave with a feeling of accomplishment and maybe even a portfolio! This internship is also good for networking and real world experience.

The one problem with this company is that it is quite large. This can be extremely overwhelming for an intern. According to this users comments, there are a lot of politics that circle around the office environment. If interning at a company be careful when it comes to gossip and inter social relations. Keep it PG-13 at all times. Remember things you say in fun or in passing can bite you in the butt! While working at a company that likes to "work hard and play hard" make sure you show your personality.

I think that this company provides a great experience for most interns. But, if it is your first time interning I would recommend staying away. It is hard to be thrown into such a large company at the beginning. If you are just starting your intern career, try applying to smaller companies. Hopefully there you will be able to adjust to the working world without having to deal with corporate politics. For more information about this internship check out InternshipRatings.com!

--Lauren

Winter Break: The Perfect Time to Find a Spring Internship

Winter break has officially started. It is the perfect time to relax, meet up with old friends and catch up on TV shows. Most importantly, it is also a great to consider an internship for the spring. It is not too late to start searching for a great opportunity!

I read an article today from the Financial Post, a Toronto based newspaper that reminded me of my last internship quest. I wanted a public relations position at a small firm in the town I am from, but I could not find any leads. After speaking to some connections in the industry, I decided that it would be best to do some research on my own. I went to the local advertising federation website and created a list of firms that represented clients who I was interested in. Then, I sent emails to the contacts from the federation's website with my cover letter and resume. Surprisingly, I received an overwhelming response. Each firm articulated that they sought interns but were unsure of how to approach them. I ended up selecting an internship at an innovative agency.

My advice is to GO AFTER COMPANIES who interest you even if you are unsure whether or not they have an established program. Small businesses especially are starting to recognize the importance of interns; however, they tend to be more clueless about dispersing the message. Although the allure of a corporate environment and the company name on your resume are appealing, small businesses can offer more individualized attention and tailor the program to your needs. Either way, the point is to make use of your free time to find an internship that suits you.

--Stephanie

Below you will find links for a few internship openings and resources:

Fashion Internships

Entertainment Industry Internships

Unique Food and Agriculture Internship Opportunity in New York State

Government Related Internship in San Diego, CA

Science Related Internship at Boston Planetarium

Paid Journalism Internship for Travel Magazine in NYC