How to land a marketing internship as a student

The DRIVEN programme is the University of Derby’s (@DerbyUni) GRADS for D2N2 project. The GRADS for D2N2 project is part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and is part of the ESF High Level Skills programme. The programme is delivered by the University of Derby as part of the High Level Skills consortium which also includes Nottingham Trent University, Derby College, Nottingham College, and Nottingham City Council.

Getting your foot in the door of a marketing career is now more competitive than ever.

As a student, or recent graduate, you’ll understand the challenge of securing a job in any industry, so applying for jobs in a field you envision a future career can be a daunting process.

One solution to this is securing an internship. Internships are a perfect way for students to showcase their classroom knowledge and theory in a professional environment.

My internship experience

My name is Jesse, I studied Marketing, PR and Advertising at undergraduate level here at Derby. During my university journey, I secured a Derby DRIVEN opportunity in 2016, and it played a huge role in helping me secure my first role as a Marketing Executive only one month after graduating in July 2018.

Through my internship, I gained many skills and was introduced to a variety of software, such as using Adobe Creative Cloud and Google Analytics for business. I learned to appreciate the importance of marketing metrics and adapted my educational expertise to gain some valuable work experience.

If you are not sure where to begin, here are some top tips to land your dream marketing internship:

• Research the type of marketing career you want
  It’s important to consider your interests for marketing and where your skills best fit. This could range from social media, public relations, SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), inbound marketing and more. If a particular focus suits you, or you’d prefer to be a marketing generalist, having some form of inclination will help demonstrate your passion for the cause to future employers
• Showcase your portfolio
  A great way to show off your strengths and skills is by having a personal portfolio of work. Whether that’s a blog, video creation or design work, they all serve as a great opportunity to give potential employers a snapshot of your skills and your passion for marketing
• Attempt a SWOT analysis for your chosen company
  If you’re fortunate enough to get to the interview stage, one trick to get ahead of the competition is to present a SWOT analysis of the company you’re interviewing for – highlighting their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This show’s your marketing acumen to the interviewer, prior research and determination to make instant impact should you go on to be appointed to the role
• Take advantage of Derby’s Careers and Employment Service
  The Careers and Employment Service supports all Derby students which will help you reach your career goals. Be sure to make virtual appointments with the team and check out DRIVEN internship opportunities, which are full-time across the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire areas
• Enjoy the experience!
  When you do land your dream internship, it’s important to remember to take advantage of the opportunities presented to you, network with new people and enjoy the experience!