Justin McCormick
Identifying a passion for social media marketing
Majoring in marketing with a minor in graphic design, Justin McCormick was able to work on various projects during his semester-long internship for Gorton’s Seafood. During this time he gained valuable experience while also reigniting his passion for social media marketing.
What is the most significant project you have worked on?
My first project at my internship was to do an evaluation for an emerging market, and then present my findings to the company. This research helped them make changes and updates to their packaging for an upcoming product. That was probably my most significant project there since I got to give feedback that made it onto the final package design that would eventually be used in stores.
Does your internship relate to your major and desired future career (what is that)? Do you think it got you a step closer to that end goal?
Gorton's did relate to my major and minor and will help me in my future career. I am hoping to go into the social media side of marketing, and I was allowed to brainstorm and come up with some concepts for one of Gorton's social media accounts. The non-social media work was very informative for a general marketing position and business as a whole.
Gorton's operates in the food industry, which I have never worked in before, so this job also gave me unique insight into the crucial differences each industry faces on the back end. Finally, I was given a lot of important tasks, so it taught me how to handle stress and meet key deadlines to assure all of the projects I was a part of were on track.
Do you feel that you were prepared going into the internship? How did you gain confidence during the process?
My past internships already prepared me for the typical office culture, so I had an easy time settling in. I gained more confidence as the days went on since I got to know everyone in the office, which made me more comfortable talking and working with them. Feedback from my supervisor boosted my confidence since I knew what to improve on and what I was already doing well.
What is your best tip for networking with site supervisors and internship colleagues?
Reaching out is the most obvious, but critical step. I pursued an internship over the summer (not my Gorton's one) and I have already had a few Endicott College students I didn't know reach out to me for help on getting an internship at that company. I was more than glad to help, and all they needed to do was take a few minutes to write an email to me asking for help. If you are looking to talk to a site supervisor, make sure to be genuine, do a little homework on the company, and be confident.