Choo (center) pictured with cofounders Bianca Caampued (left) and Mallory Blair (right.)
Age: 21
Class Year: 2015
Job Title and Description: Intern with Small Girls PR. Small Girls is a top New York marketing firm specializing in media relations. Founders Mallory Blair and Bianca Caampued graced Forbes‘ 30 under 30 and the front page of The Observer.
Website: wontgohomewithoutchoo.tumblr.com
Twitter: christinewchoo
What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?
I do a lot of market research. As of right now, we’re expanding our online base. I need to see where we can be more innovative and where Small Girls can help out. I will look into their company and their competitors, too. For example, we were looking at [a large television network.] I had to look into [their competitors] Netflix, Hulu TV and others. I had to come up with what the other companies had been doing to see what Small Girls could do to add value. I still do a lot of things I did over the summer for them, like coming up with pitch stories for journalists and social media lists. It really depends on what they want me to do. A lot of branding for now I would say- a lot of creativity to come up with proposals. Since I’m continuing my internship from afar, there’s not really a typical day unlike during my summer internship.
That’s really interesting, since you chose to double major in mathematics and economics. How do you integrate that academic background into what you do [for Small Girls?]
Economics is very methodical, as is math, so having that background helped me increase productivity. For example, we had to count social media impressions, and other interns were using their phones. I was able to just enter numbers into Excel and tabulate it, so that’s how I could integrate some of mathematics and economics.
How did you discover Small Girls?
I was abroad and completely out of it. I was desperate and realized the importance of getting a job or summer internship. While in Madrid, I looked at the alumni page, went through everyone in marketing and emailed each personally asking if they knew of potential employers. One alumna’s friend worked at Small Girls, so that’s how I landed the interview. I had to send in a video and other materials. The day Lynk UAF (Universal Application Funding) was due, I received the acceptance letter from Small Girls. The entire process was still very hard, I’d say- I’d recommend future juniors to start applying fall semester. Beginning your job hunt early is key. My experience was undeniably stressful.
You interned with them this summer in New York. How was that experience?
On a typical day, you’d come in at 9:00- make coffee, sit down, check emails and all the clients’ social media. I would ask every director per company if they needed help; typically, we’d just look at media lists or write reports for them. By three o’clock, it should all be done but I’d usually stay until five or six o’clock. That would be the best description of a typical work day.
Small Girls is a pretty “small” firm. How do you nurture relationships with mentors at the firm?
It was easy to nurture relationships with Mallory and Bianca. My group was kind of large that year- there were eight of us, compared to the norm of three interns. Because there were so many, it became even more important to step up and not get lost in the crowd. Even if it is such a small group, you can still feel lost in the shuffle. As time passed, I became a designated intern for a couple of accounts- at the end, Mallory and Bianca would get [progress] reports from the individual directors. They (Mallory and Bianca) have been really helpful- I send them my resume and willingly offer to help in my job search.
What other advice can you give other students interested in the marketing & PR world?
A smaller firm is better to start off with for an internship. Everything I know about PR comes from experience, since I don’t have the degree for it. I didn’t expect to continue my internship with Small Girls now, but to others interested in the field, I’d recommend they honestly do their best. Going above and beyond in what you do requires not only asking for more tasks to complete, but also finding innovative ways to add value. In the beginning, I’d constantly ask for more tasks to complete, but as I progressed, I could easily determine what more needed to be done. At the end of your internship, continue putting in your best effort- if you really impress your boss and they see the value you provide, opportunities come your way. I reached a very personal level with my boss this past summer. I would recommend everyone reach out and develop a relationship with their boss- don’t suck up to them, but see them as people, as mentors. I told her [my boss] about my future goals and not only did she agree to polish my resume- that afternoon, I received an invitation to continue my internship at Small Girls. I still work for them, but clearly the assignments are different since I have on-campus jobs and schoolwork also.
In conclusion, I would not recommend going for a degree in either marketing or public relations. Excelling in the field requires a lot of high-quality networking and strong work ethic. If you’re interested in these kinds of jobs, simply go for it.