I’m Leila Esmaili Zamora, and for the past three months I have been interning with Quantcast’s marketing team. As a philosophy major, I have always been fascinated by the ‘why’ behind actions and reasoning. Specifically, in the case of marketing, I’ve been expanding my knowledge of the ‘why’ behind the intentions and motivations that drive certain marketing strategies and campaigns.
During my internship at Quantcast, I’ve not only had the opportunity to learn more about the ‘why’ behind marketing, but also how to execute marketing strategies. At the start of my internship, I had a basic understanding of how marketing appeals to consumer interests as a way of generating revenue for a company. Now, nearing the end of my internship, I leave with a more comprehensive understanding of marketing and the role Quantcast plays in the ad tech industry.
Getting to Know Quantcast
My internship at Quantcast has been one of my most rewarding experiences. With confidence, I now understand and can explain the roles digital advertising and marketing play within the larger tech ecosystem. Aside from teaching our cohort of interns about the industry, the marketing team at Quantcast has also prepared us to enter the workforce by exposing us to other roles within the organization, such as engineering and product management.
One of these exposure opportunities was through weekly brown bag lunches with various teams across the company. I had the opportunity to understand roles across the business and meet with experts to learn about their day-to-day. As a current student, it was eye-opening, as I learned so much about these diverse roles. More importantly, I was grateful for an internship experience that emphasized both gaining knowledge for my current position, and setting me up for success for a future in the corporate world.
It was amazing to be at a company that emphasizes such a supportive environment for interns. Being able to work closely with everyone on the marketing team, from the CMO, to product marketers to designers, I appreciated the friendly attitudes throughout the marketing team, and from all Quantcasters.
The hallmarks of this collaborative environment are its transparency and the cultivation of an honest and progressive work atmosphere. That’s reflected in the kindness and diligent work ethic from all Quantcast employees. I learned that Quantcast is a company that is not only passionate about its mission, product, and industry, but also commits itself to your success, both as an employee and as an individual.
My Favorite Project: Concepting an Entirely New Podcast
The highlight of my work projects this summer was developing the concept for a new podcast series. Although I was assigned the project because of my previous experience with podcasts, I had never concepted and orchestrated the development of an entire podcast series. As I was working with highly experienced individuals, it was daunting to come in and take on a leadership role. It was during experiences like these, when I was thrown right into the mix, that I learned the most about myself and my abilities. It took a bit of practice and time to pitch my ideas, but it became an invaluable experience to receive constructive feedback and improve upon my skills.
Some of the best advice I received during the project was to hold yourself accountable: not in a way that makes you dwell on mistakes, but in a way that leverages mistakes as a learning experience. Critiques are not only constructive in and of themselves, but should be seen as a tool that can guide you toward the right path. Such self-reflection allowed me to better understand myself as an individual and created a space for self-growth and confidence.
What I’d Share with Prospective Interns
My advice to other students is to set yourself up to explore the many hands-on intern opportunities. Put yourself out there and try a diverse range of projects. If you’re transitioning from university to the corporate world, it’s important to get a taste of the many possibilities out there. As a marketing intern at Quantcast, I was able to see firsthand the variety of functions within the company and learned more about specific positions I am interested in pursuing.
When I started, during meetings I would hear endless marketing acronyms and jargon, most of which I had never heard and couldn’t understand. I would stare blankly as I tried to comprehend what exactly was being discussed. ROI, KPIs, and CRO are just a few which revealed my lack of knowledge and understanding of marketing. Now, I can confidently describe the industry using these acronyms, as well as form my own opinions and assessments of topics the marketing team is tackling.
As a rising senior, who will enter the marketing and tech industry workforce in a year, I can now approach marketing opportunities with confidence, knowing it won’t be my first time. It’s been such an amazing opportunity to be able to gain these practical and useful skills, which I can apply not only within the professional sector, but throughout the rest of my life. Although my coursework has taught me quite a bit about the corporate world, nothing can measure up to the hands-on experience and knowledge I gained as an intern for Quantcast.