IMPAQT
4/08

Erin served her internship at IMPAQT, a search marketing firm in Pittsburgh. A PPW graduate who works at IMPAQT came and talked to Erin’s Persuasive Writing in Advertising and Fundraising class. “Her job sounded like something I would be interested in,” Erin explains, “so I applied for the internship and got it. It took a while to actually start my internship as IMPAQT had some major projects they were finishing up in January.”

According to Erin, a junior Communication major, there was a lot of training involved at the beginning, as she did not know much about search marketing (think Google). She is "in the groove" now, but she is constantly learning new things at IMPAQT.

At IMPAQT, Erin works on writing and research by herself, but there are a lot of group meetings and projects that involve the whole team. “Typically, I research and write video scripts. I also fill my time with working on special projects for my bosses. I researched competitors and international companies, and made calendars and reference cards for the Marketing team. I am also learning how to write case studies and biographies,” she says.

The team members at IMPAQT are very organized and serious about their work, but they are also flexible and have fun. “I tried to get to know as many people as possible at IMPAQT, as they are older, wiser, and can help me figure out my next step. This internship is everything I expected and more! I am very interested in the search industry now, which is something I never considered before IMPAQT. The best moment of the internship was completing my first video script and getting the stamp of approval from my boss.”

Erin argues that internships are a crucial part of her education and preparation. “Experience is everything in the Advertising/Marketing/PR field. Potential employers are likely to be more interested in the knowledge I have gained through internships than the class I have taken. Also, this internship gave me a taste of what the working world is like. Give your internship your best effort, since this is a potential employer or reference for your next job. Also, network with everyone at your job, from the secretary to the CEO.”

Eventually, Erin would love to be in charge of the PR for a large corporation. “Completing the PPW certificate was the best academic decision I've made at Pitt. The real life knowledge, connections, portfolio pieces, and writing skills I've learned have helped me more than any other class I've taken at Pitt.”

Note: Erin was hired by IMPAQT at the end of her internship.