At SMZ, we don’t like to brag, but this is one cool place to work. This is why our summer interns decided to pass along a few words before they headed back to college to enjoy what’s left of their youth. Seriously, think about it, our endless supply of M&Ms is enough to put us in the conversation. Here’s what they had to say:
— Grant Boufford (Art Director Intern)
As my time as an intern at SMZ comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on my first day here. The day consisted of a round of introductions to a whole set of new faces, a thick binder with instructions on how to complete various tasks, and a celebratory lunch with my new, friendly coworkers. While I was excited to learn at lunch that this group of people shared my love of food, I left that day remembering only two or three names and feeling nervous I would never understand how to do the things described in that binder. Now that I have everyone’s names down and can complete the tasks in the binder without even opening it, it is a shame I have to return to school already. The valuable skills and experiences I gained through SMZ, without a doubt, are what helped me obtain an internship with Grand Rapids Griffins during the upcoming school year. I am so excited to take what I learned here with me to Grand Rapids. A big thank you to everyone who helped me grow and feel included during my short time with SMZ and I sincerely hope I get the chance to work with the talented, hardworking SMZ team in the future!
— Maddie Rich (Traffic Intern)
As a public relations major, there’s only one thing besides luck that will make you an attractive candidate after graduation — internships. During my time as a social media intern at SMZ, I was introduced to the rules of building and maintaining client relationships, branding, curating campaigns and producing great content. But, most importantly, I was able to step out of my nonprofit comfort zone and get a peek into agency life. Needless to say, my time at SMZ has been a blast! And trust me; it wasn’t just because of the morning bagels, ice cream and seemingly never-ending supply of M&Ms.
— Damon Mitchell (Social Media Intern)
Every project has been an opportunity to create great content for high profile brands through an outstanding agency. With each project came the challenge to push myself creatively and the responsibility to do my very best for our clients. It’s demanding when the jobs pile up high, but worth it after making friends with co-workers at company cook-outs. Staying creative gets tough when you’ve tried a hundred ideas to find the one that works best, but worth it after blowing off steam at an office ice cream-eating contest. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the ad world from SMZ, it’s work hard, play hard.
— Aaron Smith (Copywriting Intern)