As someone who had always dreamed of working in the technology industry, I became more and more excited as my first day as an Intern at MediaMath’s Marketing department approached. As much as I was excited, I was just as nervous and moments of self-doubt started to creep in. I thought to myself “is this over my head?” and “what the hell am I getting myself into?” As I stepped into the lobby of 4 WTC for the first time, I got even more nervous! What if I can’t contribute to my team, thus the organization as a whole? What if I just don’t get it? But all my “first-timer” nerves quickly dissipated as I started to throw myself into various projects.
In a workplace that seemed so foreign to me as a result of my prior experience in traditional marketing and an education in liberal arts, I instantly felt like I belonged when MediaMath’s President, Mike Lamb, tapped my shoulder and said, “so you’re the famous marketing intern!” This gave me the confidence to truly dive into my work head first.
I made it a priority to talk to as many people across all departments — talking to others gave me perspective into how the organization operates as a unit and gave me insight on the types of initiatives people at MediaMath were working on.
I began to notice the size and power of the network I was working with and challenges that previously seemed impossible and daunting became exciting problems that needed solutions. I took on three major projects, including optimization of our website through Google Analytics and other UI analysis software, competitor and industry landscape analysis with a large focus on analyst relations reporting, as well as researching industry events that would be of value to MediaMath for sponsorship and participation. By the end of my internship I felt like a true contributing member of the marketing team. I will never be able to thank them enough for equipping me with the skill sets necessary in order to grow as a critical thinker and team player. Additionally, I was fortunate enough to participate in the annual MediaMath Marketing Summit in which our global team (including team members from London, Paris, Sao Paolo, and Singapore) met in NYC to workshop how the team functions. To sum it up…
MediaMath taught me the importance in:
- Attention to detail
I made it a point to pay attention to the small details — whether it was proof reading emails or working on complex excel sheets — in efforts to avoid any cracks or errors. - Effective communication skills
Ask clarifying questions, listen, and be as upfront and communicative as clear as possible to understand everything around you and effectively work with the people around you. - Effective collaboration skills
Working well with others is part of the culture at MediaMath. After all, there is ‘strength in numbers.’ - Truly learning from mistakes, making adjustments, and moving on
Don’t get hung up on mistakes that cannot be changed, learn from them and adjust the way you work accordingly. - Effort and hunger
Bring the same amount of effort to every project, no matter how large or small the project is because every project has more of an impact on the larger organization and culture of a company. - Staying curious and always learning
There is always room for personal growth — staying up-to-date with industry news, trends and training programs allows you to work much more effectively and grow professionally.
When I accepted a role as an intern, little did I know that I would be immersing myself in a transformative learning experience with greater depth and breadth than I had ever experienced before. With a great balance of meaningful work, mindless fun, and constructive structured learnings, I can confidently say that my time at MediaMath is something I would never trade…for anything.