Ease Your Summer Internship Nerves

Meet Danielle Fisher, professional NYC summer intern.

We are living in a particularly difficult time for students and 9-5 workers alike. The search for internships may seemingly be useless at this point, as companies and their employees are hurting and some are even cancelling their internship programs. But many companies continue to monitor the situation daily and even plan to offer remote positions. 

Although we can’t ignore the state of our country’s economy, we can continue to apply and network while demonstrating empathy and flexibility. If qualified, a recruiter often won’t ignore your application and will keep you in mind for future opportunities if your summer internship program is discontinued due to the global health epidemic. 

Dreams of summer internships in the Big Apple might be weary at the moment; the city that never sleeps at night is now quiet as residents follow stay-at-home orders from the government. However, Danielle Fisher’s summer internship experience reminds us of how the city flourishes and gives us hope for the day New York City is healthy again.  

Danielle Fisher, junior at Elon University studying business analytics and marketing, worked two consecutive summers at Social Studies in New York City in marketing and business development. Social Studies is the fastest growing influencer agency in the U.S., according to AdWeek. Fisher found the position on LinkedIn and noted she constantly is online searching for internships or other learning opportunities for college students.   

Fisher’s main responsibilities in influencer marketing included researching and curating lists of Instagram micro-influencers for social media. A typical day also included team meetings. 

“I loved being included in team meetings and calls, where I got to learn more about clients and the business of influencer marketing,” Fisher said. “While working in business development, I was able to assist in deck creation and proposals for amazing clients.”

Fisher’s experience working in business development and sales helped her determine her future career path. 

Fisher shares some advice she wish she knew prior to starting her internship:

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions and take notes,” she said. “Something I found helpful was on my train ride home I would write notes on things I learned that day or specific things I was working on that day.”  

Fisher recommends always keeping an eye on online postings, and she advises upcoming interns to always keep networking, having a good attitude, and speaking up when you have an idea!