When it came time to finding a summer internship, Advertising major Erica Tackett did her homework.
Tackett, who is just starting her senior year, worked as an Account Management Intern at Ogilvy and Mather, one of the leading advertising agencies in Chicago, this past summer.
She learned about company founder, David Ogilvy, when she came across his blog, “The 8 Ogilvy Habits,” which lists his eight habits of advertising.
“I was like, wow, this is exactly how I feel about advertising,” said Tackett, who then read the book written by Ogilvy and reached out to a number of people at the company.
When it time came to apply for the internship last November, Tackett made sure to polish her application to perfection.
“I focused every little bit of my time trying to get my name out there,” she said. “I put a lot of energy into the application.”
Advertising 402
Another influence on Tackett was the experience she had visiting Chicago last December as part of the ADV 402 class with Andrew Corner, Instructor in the Department of Advertising + Public Relations. In a span of three days, the class visited a number of advertising agencies and corporations.
“It gave me an idea of what it would be like to work there,” Tackett said. “By the time I moved, I was better prepared than if I hadn’t gone on the trip.”
But still a lot of hurdles come with an internship away from home. To find a place to live, Tackett sifted through a deluge of Craigslist ads, trying to find a sublease, and finally found her new home in the north side of Chicago.
“It got down to the wire. I found a sublease toward the end of May, and I started my internship in June. It got kind of intense,” she said. “You just have to believe it’s going to work out and have that gut and just go for it.”
Internship Award
Finances were another barrier. Tackett pays for most of her schooling out of pocket, and while her internship at Ogilvy was paid, it wasn’t enough to cover everything. Tackett was honored to receive the Quinn Franks Internship Award, which helped cover living expenses.
“If it wasn’t for that scholarship, there was no way I would have been able to (work at Ogilvy),” Tackett said.
While at Ogilvy, Tackett put together a competitive analysis of some of the brands she worked with this past summer.
“I really got a lot out of it…I learned about what I’m interested in and what I like to do,” she said. Tackett presented her findings to the entire team at Ogilvy, which was so impressed they shared it with clients and use it in campaigns.
Student Involvement
During her time at MSU, Tackett has had other internships and has been involved with many organizations, including Hubble Connections, Chrysler, The State News, Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), and the College of Communication Arts and Sciences very own ComArtSci Career Center.
“Every internship I take, I learn something new about myself,” Tackett said. “I owe my entire professional career to Michigan State. What they provide you with as a student is phenomenal.”
Tackett, who joined PRSSA as a freshman, is now the President of the organization.
“When I joined as a freshman, I knew no one,” Tacksett said about PRSSA. “I was hanging out with seniors. It might have been a little scary, but now I have all these amazing friends at amazing companies and I can call them anytime. And you’re not going to develop that network unless you’re utilizing what this place is offering you.”
Now a senior, Tackett has some advice to offer to younger students.
“If you know what you want to do, you just have to go for it, and if you’re still figuring it out, start exploring,” she said. “You also have to be an advocate for yourself. If you’re scared, just go. If you sit in the back and it takes you a while to introduce yourself, that’s fine. You just have to go for it.”
Tackett invites students who are interested in PRSSA to email her at etackettm@gmail.com. She said she’s happy to help them in any way she can.
“I have no doubt in my mind that any president of any other student group would do the same,” Tackett said. “PRSSA is great, MSU Advertising Association is the same, Telecasters, Big Ten Student U. All the resources are right under the roof in one college.”
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