My name is Mia Rubenstein, and I am a marketing intern at RealtyAds and an incoming sophomore at Washington University in Saint Louis. Initially, coming from a competitive university, I felt overwhelmed seeing my friends and classmates securing positions at prestigious tech and finance companies. I have always heard that having a well-known company on your resume is the key to ensuring the next internship or job, and felt like I could not be as successful working at a startup. However, my experience at RealtyAds has convinced me that there is much to gain from working at a start-up, especially when starting a career, offering a unique combination of learning and real-world experience that I could not have found in a traditional internship.
From the beginning, my onboarding process at RealtyAds was designed to mirror that of any full-time employee. This provided me with a unique insight into company operations, gaining a comprehensive understanding that goes beyond the typical intern experience. Unlike other internship programs that restrict interactions to a few select teams and employees, I had the chance to connect with leaders from every department. This inclusivity made me immediately feel well-adapted to the team and comfortable collaborating with my peers. In addition, the in-office experience was especially beneficial, allowing me to easily approach colleagues with questions or have impromptu discussions in the office kitchen. These casual day-to-day interactions fostered a sense of community and made me feel confident in sharing my opinions and actively participating in projects, knowing that my contributions were valued both in and out of meetings.
The first four weeks of my internship were devoted to absorbing as much information as possible, ensuring that I had a solid foundation to build upon in the subsequent weeks of my internship. Leaders from graphic design, finance, sales, account management, and marketing generously dedicated their time and energy to teaching me about their roles, providing valuable insights into various aspects of the company and the current CRE market. This not only helped me grasp the different functions within the company but also how these different subteams work together for the greater success of RealtyAds.
While I was given the chance to learn and shadow all of the different departments at RealtyAds. My main focus was working with the marketing team. During the second four weeks, I applied everything I had learned, enabling me to hone in on my marketing skills and grow through hands-on experience. This practical application of writing copy, various blogs, and social media posts solidified my understanding of RealtyAds and allowed me to make meaningful contributions to the team. Being trusted with this responsibility and independence allowed me to play an active role in contributing to the company’s success, even allowing me to lead some client-facing operations. Handling these high-impact projects has been crucial for my growth, boosting my confidence.
Yet, One of the most rewarding aspects of working at a startup has been the opportunity to implement my own marketing campaign for RealtyAds. I not only developed and planned marketing ideas but also created content and analyzed campaign performance to conduct research and present on my final day. Each post introduced unique challenges and learning opportunities, allowing me to develop a diverse skill set independently. In doing so, I was also able to provide RealtyAds with valuable insights into showcasing where we can further improve our current marketing strategy. Additionally, I successfully elevated our organic engagement rate by 11%, overall engagement rate by 19%, and page views by 8.2%, surpassing some of our largest competitors.
I was also able to lead an internal event, hosting an event where I could reflect on my growth throughout my time working at RealtyAds. Throwing an internal event and catering in Portillo’s for the whole office, I was able to talk with my coworkers and mentors about who they are as people, not just professionally. These colleagues have become incredible role models and friends, providing invaluable guidance and support throughout my summer.
I feel fortunate to have been surrounded by such empathetic, hardworking, and knowledgeable individuals who have fostered a creative space for me to learn and explore my interests. As I prepare to present my final project and my internship comes to a close, I am excited to return to college with a new set of professional skills. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for myself, my colleagues, and this amazing company.
RealtyAds is helping commercial real estate find, advance, and close more deals by engaging decision-makers and their representation on the world’s most effective customer acquisition channels. For more information, visit RealtyAds.com and follow RealtyAds on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.