Samantha Welch
LinkedIn
Graduation Year:May 2016
Major: News-Editorial Journalism
Hometown: McHenry, Illinois
Campus Activities: Member of Delta Zeta sorority, Server at FlatTop Grill
Hobbies: Traveling, Tennis, Reading, Eating Pizza
Internship: Social Media Intern - Allstate Insurance
What were your duties?
- Worked across the company and with external agencies to advise on social media strategy and schedule content to best fit campaign goals
- Created and scheduled content for the Allstate For Business LinkedIn and Allstate Motorcycle Facebook pages
- Researched and presented a social competitive report for motorcycle industry
- Performed social listening on Allstate Twitter feed and escalate content to community managers when necessary
- Knowledgeable on researching, vetting and compiling blogger lists through Traackr
- Reported out and analyze metrics on key successes, challenges and opportunities to further enhance social content programs
- Worked with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and media buying agents for best practices
What did you most enjoy about your internship?
The team that I worked with genuinely wanted me to learn everything I could about social media and they are what made the summer so fun. They took the time out of their busy work days to teach me about what they do, they took me to their meetings, and they introduced me to as many people in Allstate as possible. I wasn't just the intern doing all the busywork, I was an asset to the team as well as someone they wanted to help succeed in the media world.
What was the most difficult aspect of your internship?
There was so much more to social media than I could have imagined. There's still so much I need to learn, but it was a great start.
I would also say the transition from college to corporate was a little like going from a hot tub straight to the pool- shocking at first, but once in, enjoyable.
How did your experience at Illinois and in the College of Media prepare you for your internship?
Illinois and the College of Media have not only given me the knowledge necessary for my field of work, but I have learned so much about what it takes to be a hard-working, determined professional. I have also learned how important it is to make connections and not to be afraid to use them whenever possible.
How has your internship prepared you for a career?
Not only did I make many connections during my time at Allstate, but I learned so much about what it means to have a life after college. Work-life balance is so important and will play a big role in picking a job.
What recommendations do you have for other students about doing an internship?
I never thought I would get a job at Allstate. However, what I learned from talking with my boss post-hire, I realized the best thing that I did during the interviews was to be genuine. It's easy to get wrapped up in your professional demeanor during interviews, but you have to find a way to make your personality shine through all the boring behavioral question. Chances are, everyone will answer the questions in a similar manner, so what can you do to stand out?
Also, once you land the job and start working, set up 1-on-1's with as many people in the company as possible. If have just a few questions prepared, they will talk your ear off and you'll be surprised by how much you can learn from a 20 minute conversation with a stranger. Plus, it will help when looking for a job post-graduation. (Don't forget to add them on LinkedIn right after you talk to them!)
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