The Intern Experience at MassMedia

Personally, the first day of a new position can feel like a dice roll. I always start by wondering what the people are like. How stressful will the work be? Can I bring my own sticky note dispenser, which by the way is polar bear shaped? I ran through all the worries (score one for neuroticism) I could experience as an intern with no prior experience to I could compare.

Looking back, I truly had no cause for worry. From day one I have been made to feel like a part of the team, which is a large part of the philosophy at MassMedia. The day I started, our digital marketing director, Zak, sat down with me at lunch and spent time getting to know me. It’s something that I’ve had the pleasure of remembering vividly and has echoed back to me from time to time. Five months into my internship and the “team first” mentality still stands.

“Walk before you run, son.”

My responsibilities started slowly and I was given administrative tasks like entering transaction charges into our book-keeping software or helping build presentation decks. These were routine tasks that emphasized and tested my ability to keep track of them. I attempted doing so a number of ways: calendar reminders, to-do list applications, alarm clocks, etc. Everyone has their own way of keeping track of these items and I’m glad to report being here has helped me developed my own. (Pro-tip: always have a notebook handy that you can quickly jot down a note in.)

Soon after, I started putting together content calendars for a client’s social media pages. It was mildly intimidating knowing that the content I drafted would be out there for everyone to see. Content that would be ripe for public consumption and measured in likes and post shares (score two for neuroticism). Mind you, I have a difficult time coming up with content to post on my personal accounts, so coming up with a whole month of content for someone else was going to require me to use my creative thinking more than ever.

Thankfully, a word of encouragement was never far (thanks Zak!) and before long we had a full content calendar. Some may say I fretted over nothing, but I challenge you to come up with 30 unique, individual days of content. I dare you! Now after Zak’s mentoring, if you ask me to come up with a calendar, I’d say “bring it.”

“Can You Feel the Love in This Chili’s Tonight?”

Being here, you can sense a charge in the air and sure the team is busy and on-the-go, but what’s interesting is they don’t forget they’re part of a team under all of the pressure. Spend a maximum of five minutes listening to the way that my team members talk to each other and you can tell that, hey, they actually get along and bond as team aside from the work. It’s not uncommon to share notes of what’s on everyone’s TV watchlist or break out into laughter. I mean, rest assured, the noses are usually about the client work but it’s nice to know that when I come up for air, I’ve got a friendly face I can turn to.

Additionally, I had absolutely no idea what a “1:1 with your supervisor” was before coming to MassMedia. I’m lucky to sit down with someone that cares about my personal and professional growth (again, thanks Zak!). It was cool to be asked about what I thought of the tasks I was given and what kind of hobbies I am interested in.

A Final Word

As an intern, the main objective is growth, expanding and honing your skills, and immersing yourself in a professional environment. I consider myself lucky. I’m grateful to be given an opportunity to work alongside some wonderful people while also challenging my limits. Stay tuned!