For the past 15 weeks the UTP Journals team has been thrilled to have Lauren Naus working with us in her role as Marketing intern. Lauren has an Honours BA from Queen’s University, with a double major in English and Drama, and a publishing certificate from Humber College. She has a strong interest in social media marketing and has volunteered as a Publishing Manager for the magazine, HeadsUp!

Lauren Naus

Marketing Intern

 Internships have a negative reputation for being positions in which interns fall victim to fetching coffee, completing menial filing tasks, and being at the beck and call of an authoritative and inconsiderate supervisor. This is what I was expecting on my first day as a marketing intern at the University of Toronto Press – Journals Division. Instead, I was greeted with support and encouragement from the moment I stepped through the doors.  So, here I am at the end of my internship to set the record straight – not all internships are created equal; they can be rewarding experiences that equip you would the necessary skills required to succeed in the industry.

Once my stereotypical view of what an internship entails was shattered, I quickly realized the value in the education my UTP colleagues were offering me. They weren’t out to ruin my future; they were there to help me build it. In my first week alone, I was given the responsibility of managing the majority of the divisions’ social media channels, updating and developing the website for The Canadian Theatre Review, and selecting weekly articles to participate in the Journals Focus Program. Soon thereafter, I took charge of the Journals Division’s blog. That’s right, I’ve been writing under a pseudonym for the past three months, but I was allowed to explore any ideas or stories I thought would be suitable or of interest to our audience. I was handed real work and real responsibility, which assisted me in becoming confident in utilizing the essential skills required in the publishing industry.

I was often encouraged to be critical and voice my opinion; the staff wanted to hear what I had to say. Despite being a new intern, I had a voice, but more importantly, I had room to grow and develop in an environment in which I was surrounded by experienced professionals. However, one of the most unique aspects of interning with UTP Journals is that you are not restricted to the department you are hired into. I was hired as a marketing intern, but I was always more than welcome to be involved in projects in other departments such as Editorial, Production, or Circulation. The opportunity to test out the various publishing departments through job shadowing sessions is another aspect of the UTP Journals internship program that sets it apart from others. Although I know that my skills and interest still lie in the marketing field, these sessions helped me develop an appreciation for the division as a whole and gave me insight into the entire publication process.

My marketing internship exceeded my expectations, and I am very grateful for the skills, education, and experience each one of my colleagues gave me. To leave off, here are some tips I have gathered that helped me get the most out of my internship experience:

1. Be Responsible – It may be only an internship, and you may not always get paid for the work you do, but you are working in your desired field, which means you are building a reputation in the eyes of your co-workers. It is essential that you treat your internship as a real job to show your initiative.
2. Personalize Your Internship According to your Goals – Before you begin your internship, write down everything you hope to accomplish and learn while you’re there.  Your colleagues are there to help you, and most of the time, they are able to connect you with different projects in the company that will help you develop skills and achieve your goals.
3. Keep a List of your Tasks – Seriously. You won’t remember it all.  Keep an up-to-date list of all the projects you work on, or update your resume weekly. What is the point of an internship? Experience. Make sure your experience doesn’t go to waste.
4. Ask Questions- It is better to ask professionals who are there to educate you as opposed to asking a future boss when you’re fully employed. Make sure you have an extensive understanding of your job and the tasks you are completing.
5. Ask for Feedback – Doing this can be scary, but it is the only way to identify and improve your weaker skills. Ask you supervisor about which areas they think you need improvement in. You want to be the best you can be!

Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you to everyone at UTP Journals for making my very first internship experience unforgettable! I am going to take everything each one of you taught me and make you proud!

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