Employer
Hughes Leahy Karlovic (HLK)
Internship Title
Copywriter Intern
What were your duties?
• Collaborated with five other interns on research, media planning, and creative work on digital advertising and social media campaigns for two national brands
• Created engaging brand-specific copy for advertising campaigns across multiple digital media platforms
• Presented my copy ideas and concepts to agency professionals in final campaign pitches
What did you most enjoy about your internship?
The office culture at HLK was very exciting and fun. Every professional I interacted with there was so helpful and willing to take the time to give me advice and feedback. I loved going to the office every day.
What was the most difficult aspect of the internship?
Overcoming the creative challenges that advertising presents. Sometimes you hit a wall that you can't seem to get over when you're trying to find a solution to a problem. You have to keep going until you find that moment of illumination and clarity presents itself.
How did your experience at ILLINOIS and in the College of Media prepare you for your internship?
I was able to take the things I had learned from my advertising courses and my experiences in the American Advertising Federation at Illinois to my internship and saw how they prepared me for my "real-world" experience.
How has your internship prepared you for a career?
I have a much deeper understanding of how advertising agencies operate from day-to-day and a clearer understanding of what my career goals are and how to achieve them.
What recommendations do you have for other students about doing an internship?
When you land your internship, make the most of your time there and establish relationships with as many of the people there as you can. They have years of experience and insight that you probably don't. They can help you learn immediately and maintaining those professional relationships can be beneficial down the road.