Landing THE Internship – My Summer with ActiveCampaign

Landing that sweet, elusive internship while they’re on break from classes can be one of the most stressful tasks college students impose upon themselves every summer. Why are they frantically updating their resumes on Canva and Googling, “What keywords to have on a marketing resume?” They know that landing that summer internship with their dream company is one of the best ways to get their foot in the door, make connections, and get real world experience to leverage after college.

Summer internships are competitive, to say the least. Often there are limited openings—especially in exciting industries like tech. Candidates bring their A-game to try and get priceless industry experience.

This summer at ActiveCampaign, we were lucky enough to have 5 amazing interns, all from different backgrounds, schools, majors, and fields join us to learn what being an ACer and living our value of Making The Customer a Hero is all about.

Where should you look for your next internship?

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not hard to figure out which companies are hiring just with a quick Google search. Three of our amazing interns saw the internship opportunity posted on LinkedIn and applied directly there. 1 of our interns heard of the opportunity through a career advisor at school and another was an employee referral. This is just another reason why it’s so important to start building your network even while still in school!

How to get into the tech industry

Each of our summer interns was from a different field with a different major. They represented everything from Graphic Design and Strategic Communications to Psychology and Black World Studies. Companies are always striving to become more well-rounded and diverse, which means they are open to all kinds of people with different experiences and backgrounds.

Even if students think they haven’t majored or specialized in a field that relates directly to a position at a tech company like ActiveCampaign, we suggest that they read every single job description that looks interesting, and if they believe they can do the job, apply! Especially for internships, companies are not expecting them to know everything on day 1; they are expecting them to learn a lot and bring a valuable new perspective to the team.

What was the internship experience at ActiveCampaign like?

While their time with us was fleeting, we asked our interns all about their summer experience at ActiveCampaign and the advice they would hand down to future interns looking to get a spot with their dream tech company next summer. They had some great feedback for our team while reflecting on their time with us. Here are some of the things you can expect as an intern or full-time employee at ActiveCampaign.

What has been your favorite thing about working at ActiveCampaign so far?

“Getting the chance to network and hear about others paths that they took to get where they are. I have truly enjoyed getting the chance to meet others in the company and learn about them.”

Briana Harper – Internal Sales
(Selling and Sales Management; Retail Management – Purdue)

Brian HarperBriana Harper – Internal Sales

Is there anything that shocked you about working at ActiveCampaign that you weren’t expecting?

“Something that I wasn’t expecting is how much ActiveCampaign focuses on the wellbeing of all the employees. In terms of wellness apps that’s provided, up-to-date DEI training, etc., I feel like a lot of companies tend to overlook that aspect of a job, so it’s really refreshing to see how much ActiveCampaign cares.”

Gwenyth Bechtel – Marketing Intern
(Graphic Design – Columbia College Chicago)

Gwenyth BechtelGwenyth Bechtel

How has working at ActiveCampaign confirmed or denied your thoughts about life after graduation and working?

“It’s opened my eyes to the opportunities that businesses like ActiveCampaign can bring. I didn’t really think about the business/marketing side of videos until coming here. I was always more of a narrative and storytelling side of video kind of person. This has shown me that I have multiple routes I can take after graduation.”

Chase Napier – Video Editing Intern
(Film & Television – Depaul)

Chase NapierChase Napier

Any tips for future interns?

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help and speak up! It can be intimidating, but you won’t get the most out of your internship unless you are asking questions.”

Gwenyth Bechtel – Marketing Intern
(Graphic Design – Columbia College Chicago)

Finding the right internship can be difficult—especially with the academic demands of the school year—but finding the right company that is the perfect fit for you is worth the effort. If you are looking to intern with ActiveCampaign, make sure to check out our Careers Pageor find some of our employees on LinkedIn and start building your network!

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