Don’t Be Shy
Dimitra Loukis
One of the many great things about going to U of I and graduating from the College of Media is the large network you build throughout your 4 years of undergrad, which continues to grow into your career after graduation.
Building a great network is a key component to success when finding a job or internship. However, it is important to know that having a connection somewhere is just one of many contributing factors to getting a job, and it’s even more important to know that if you don’t have a connection it doesn’t limit you from getting the job.
Over the course of my sophomore year, I was looking for an advertising-related internship for that coming summer. I was grateful enough to land an incredible internship with atCommunications. This experience solidified my passion for digital media and advertising. This internship I found on the Verge website and was lucky enough to be introduced with the founder of the company through one of my professors. This initial introduction was helpful, but I still had to prove myself through the interview process. I think landing the internship was due to my experience and involvement with extracurricular clubs that the College of Media has to offer, and my passionate and outgoing personality. The initial introduction definitely helped though, and I am grateful that my professor was so kind enough to make it. All the advertising staff is there to help, so, when looking for internships, it’s important to seek guidance from them if needed. They were in our shoes once too.
On the other hand, my second internship (summer going into my senior year) I did not have an initial introduction at first. I did not have any connections with the agency, Merge. So, how did I make myself stand out from all the other applicants? Well, after applying for the internship, I sent a note to a woman whom I found via LinkedIn, who worked for Merge in their Media department. I expressed my interest and passion for working as their media intern that summer. I was not sure she would respond; however, it was worth a shot to put myself out there.
She so kindly responded in less than 24 hours and was excited that I had reached out. After chatting with her via LinkedIn back and forth she invited me to come into the office for an in-person interview. I ended up landing the internship and now work there full-time post graduation! I absolutely love my job working in media at Merge and am so incredibly grateful for the amazing internship I had there.
I think one of my biggest pieces of advice to students after sharing my internship stories is that you should utilize the network you have, if you can, but also do not limit yourself to the network you have. You have the ability to reach out and meet new people. Proactively meeting people and following up on job applications will make you stand out. In some cases, you might not get a response, but the chance that you do get a response can help you land that internship that could end up being a full-time job one day. So, don’t be shy when it comes to your applications. Don’t be shy asking your professors for advice and help. Don’t be shy getting extra experience through the extracurriculars the College of Media has to offer. It does not hurt to put yourself out there. In most cases, it can really help and make you stand out from the other applicants.