by Steven Shattuck
It seems as though no matter what time of year it is, thousands of eager undergrads are pursuing internships in their chosen fields of study. While stuffy corporate entities may look to only hire straight-laced, all-business candidates, the inbound marketing field craves creativity and innovation above all. If you’re a PR, Marketing or Communications major, don’t even think about applying for an internship at an inbound marketing company without these bare-minimum requirements:
Research Your Prospective Employer’s Current Inbound Marketing Efforts
One way to impress an interviewer is to reference their own inbound marketing efforts. Prior to showing up for an interview, research their website and read several blog posts. Download their advanced content and be prepared to talk about the things they’re doing. As an intern, you’ll likely play a key role in creating and promoting future content.
*Bonus: research your interviewer on LinkedIn before the interview.
Prepare a Non-Traditional Resume
The typical one-page resume will do little to impress an inbound marketer, especially if it doesn’t list your social media accounts and other web profiles. Remember that you’ll most likely be competing against other candidates for the internship, so do all you can to stand out. Paper resumes are fine, but explore non-traditional options like a web portfolio or infographic.
*Bonus: include links to work samples online.
Have a Personal Blog that is Updated Regularly
An inbound marketer without their own blog is like a politician without a stump speech. The demonstrated ability of setting up a blog, choosing a niche and publishing regularly will put you miles ahead of every intern candidate.
*Bonus: show that you have Google authorship set-up.
Be Prepared to Cite Hands-On Experience
While typical university-level marketing classes won’t necessarily give you hands-on experience with a real business’s social media accounts or internet marketing campaign, it’s important to have some experience. Volunteer for student groups to get that opportunity, or seek out non-profit committees to see if you can lend a hand. Does your uncle own a small business? See if you can’t get him to let you create and manage a few accounts to get your feet wet.
*Bonus: be able to reference analytics around a specific campaign success.
Your marketing curriculum will set you up with a firm foundation for success, but it takes going the extra mile to truly distinguish yourself as an inbound marketer. Remember: this is an industry that requires constant research and voracious reading to stay up to date on quickly-changing trends.
For information about internship opportunities at Slingshot SEO, visit our Careers section.
Steven Shattuck
Senior Marketing Associate / Community Manager at Slingshot SEOSteven Shattuck is Senior Marketing Associate / Community Manager at Slingshot SEO, responsible for the overall corporate online presence (website, blog, social media) with an emphasis on lead generation, digital PR and content creation.
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Latest posts by Steven Shattuck (see all)
- 28 Ideas To Test On Your E-Commerce Website Checkout Page – November 9, 2012
- How To Get An Internship At An Inbound Marketing Agency – November 6, 2012
- 2 Simple Ideas to Get Your HR, IT and Accounting Departments Blogging – November 1, 2012