How She Got That Internship is a series that highlights conservative women’s internships in various organizations and positions to inspire the next generation of conservative women to lead. Did you, or a young woman that you know, have an internship experience you want to share with our readers? Submit it in this form and we will contact you if we think it would be a great fit for the series. 

Summer internship season is nearly upon us, and girls across the country are dutifully working to complete their applications in time to land the internship that might change their lives.  FFL is sitting down with a number of interns to reflect on the best internships they’ve had and inspire others to try new things, step outside of their comfort zone, and be the best intern they can be. 

Kalley is a former University of Minnesota Golden Gopher who studied Political Science and Economics. Before her time at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus she attended school at the U of M Duluth campus. During her time at the University of Minnesota Kalley was involved in Student Association as the Director of Public Relations, FFL as a Cabinet member, Co-Chair of the Minnesota College Republicans, and You Matter- an organization dedicated to mental health. She interned at SPRING- Strategic Planning and Retail Innovation Group Summer 2017. She is currently working at Bridgetree Advantage as a Data Analyst and Campaign Consultant.

How did you find out about the internship opportunities at Strategic Planning & Retail Innovation Group and what was the application process like? How did your academics prepare for that internship?

I found out about the internship through LinkedIn. It was mid-April and I was feeling the pressure to get an internship for the summer. The previous summer I had a fabulous internship at another company downtown Minneapolis so I wanted something similar. I made a post on LinkedIn in May that said something like “Seeking a full time marketing/PR/social media internship for summer 2017 in the MSP area” just to get my name and the idea out there. I really didn’t expect anything. A day later someone from SPRING commented on the post and said “send your resume to [email protected]” so I did. The moral of the story with this is that a closed mouth doesn’t get fed. You can’t catch fish if you don’t cast your line out!

I learned so much at SPRING. Spring is essentially a growth tool for tech startups. My academics didn’t prepare me for this internship at all, but my interpersonal skills I developed outside of school did. For this fast-paced internship I had a hand in just about everything- not just marketing/PR/social media. I was put in charge of ALL of their social media (this was my biggest WOW moment). I also had an opportunity to give input into product design, business strategy, and marketing strategy. They asked a lot of me, but it was amazing. They truly valued my perspective.

Were there other interns? How much autonomy did you have in your position?

I was the only intern in my group. I reported directly to the director of marketing and didn’t get a ton of time with him as a mentor. Then, I had a meeting once or twice a week and the rest was email communications. That being said- my questions and opinions were answered and acknowledged 100% of the time. I had free reign to create content for all of their social media pages, and I grew them to be top tier competitive pages.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned during your internship?What are three tips you would have for someone else doing an internship there?

The most valuable lesson I learned at SPRING was don’t shy away from big projects/opportunities just because you feel like you’re too young. I was the youngest person in the office by at least 5 years and they put me in charge of all of their social media accounts. SPRING is a multi-million dollar company. It’s easy to feel small and unimportant as an intern at a prestigious company. But if you deliver on your promises, reach your goals, and show your older colleagues that you’re producing real results they’ll take you serious. My advice is don’t go into a job cocky because you think you have a great resume already, and don’t go into a job feeling like you’re at the bottom of the food chain. To have a successful internship you have to be optimistic and you have to give yourself credit for landing the internship.

They hired YOU for a reason.

What’s next for you? How did this internship shape your career plans, your academics, or your idea of what you wanted to do after graduation? 

My internship let me explore industries that I didn’t even know existed. It taught me to diversify my skill set. It taught me how competitive the tech world truly is. Even though I didn’t pursue studies or a career in the tech world, I still can. I have a great base knowledge and connections to help me if I ever want to bring my career in that direction. Your studies don’t have to match your internship choices. Don’t be afraid to explore your opportunities.

Aryssa D
FFL Cabinet Member