Randy Esling’s Summer Internship at Social Fire Media

Why Social Fire Media?

When I first saw the open position for Digital Marketing Intern at Social Fire Media I thought it would be a great fit, and I could not have been more right. I was not merely looking for a stepping stone to fill my summer, but a company to grow with. I wanted to find a company that would give me the opportunity to learn a wide variety of digital marketing skills while feeling like I was a real part of the team.

The Company Culture

The atmosphere in the office with Nick, Brendan, and Matt immediately made me feel confident to voice my ideas and opinions. The company is unique in the sense that no one has their own agenda, everyone works towards the same common goals; which are to get the best possible results for our clients and do whatever it takes to please them. Companies are often plagued by company politics and people who are more concerned with themselves than the company. Social Fire Media could not be more opposite; the team recognizes valuable ideas and does not care who they come from. The majority of the day in the office consists of everyone spit balling ideas off each other about a wide variety of topics. For an intern, there is no better environment than one where your opinion is valued and you feel respected.

What The Summer Consisted Of

In my summer interning at SFM I learned more than I ever could have imagined. Naturally, any individual transitioning from being in a classroom every day their whole life into the real world will be doing lots of learning, but the learning I did at Social Fire Media went beyond this. I learned the ins and outs of digital marketing from 3 people who know it better than anyone could imagine. Matt, Brendan, and Nick all have areas they individually excel in but are all more than capable in every aspect of digital marketing; from website design to PPC campaigns to innovative Facebook campaigns that no one has ever tried before. These are the tasks that I primarily focused on this summer:

• Writing ads for social media campaigns and Google AdWords campaigns
• Analyzing PPC campaigns
• Assisting in site design and development
• Reporting
• Posting blogs

No 2 days during my Social Fire Media internship were the same. I was often given new tasks and work beyond the things I did day in and day out that would challenge me. Every day I would spend a few hours learning in a 1-on-1 environment picking the brains of experts of the industry, which is an experience I’m sure few interns are lucky enough to have. The combination of hands-on experience and teaching by the team enabled me to learn a ton.

What The Future Holds

When many interns finish their program they are anxious to get a fresh start at a company where they are not seen as just an intern and feel valued. I could not have felt more polar opposite. I wanted nothing more than to continue my growth with a rapidly expanding company and a team that has as much promise as Social Fire Media does. I was eager to accept the opportunity to continue my employment with Social Fire Media as a Digital Marketing Associate. I am excited to continue this learning while actively helping the team and our clients. The future for Social Fire Media is very bright and I am excited to be a part of it.