Hi! My name is Lauren Krzisnik and I am a senior. I’m majoring in Communication and Media and am also pursuing the Ross Sales Track. On campus, I'm the Local Accounts Manager for the Michigan Daily Advertising Department and the Senior Vice President for the Michigan Advertising and Marketing Club (MAM). In April 2016, I was voted The Michigan Daily's "Business Person of the Year." Last summer I served as an Advertising and Sales Intern at Hour Media in Troy, MI. This summer I am currently the Direct Marketing and Planning Intern at Horizon Media in New York City. 

Brief description about the company and your role as an intern for the company:

Horizon Media is the largest privately held media agency in the world. With about 1,400 employees, Horizon’s motto to work by is "business is personal,” which really demonstrates how the company operates. As an intern working with the Direct Marketing and Planning teams, I soon realized why this company is voted as one of AdAge's "best places to work."

How did you hear about this internship and what made you want to apply?

I learned about Horizon Media by reading AdAge's website. Since Horizon was voted one of the best places to work, I researched the company and thought this looks like the type of place I want to work! After learning more about the company, I applied online to the internship and was selected for an interview. 

What are your specific responsibilities/duties daily and long-term (projects, etc.)?

My responsibilities day-to-day vary. Usually, I attend a variety of meetings/conference calls, such as client update calls. Most days I also prepare some type of Excel or PowerPoint presentation to track the placements of a client's advertisements. Long-term, the interns also have a project that we will start working on next week, which is really exciting since it will be for an actual client! 

How do you feel a major in Communication and Media prepared you for this experience?

I think I really came into the internship with a clear advantage thanks to my Communication and Media classes. On our first day of the internship, we received a huge packet with general media terms since Horizon is a media agency. Luckily for me, I just covered most of these terms in my COMM 251 Course: Media Industries, The information about how the media world operates that I have learned from my classes has really helped me adjust to the internship.  

What have you learned from the job or from others?

I've learned a lot about the different forms of direct marketing that I had no idea existed before starting this internship. I have also learned a great deal about the planning process for marketing/advertising and how different media/creative agencies work together and operate for clients. I've really enjoyed meeting the other interns and the people that work at Horizon. Everyone is extremely talented and has his or her own unique way to get work done. I have learned a lot of tips and tricks from others on how to help improve myself.

Have you had a particular favorite moment yet?

On my first day of work, Bill Koenigsberg, the CEO/Founder of Horizon, gave every intern a $100 bill. We then participated in an exciting scavenger hunt to learn our way around the office. The magic from the first day really hasn't worn off; I'm still excited to come to work every morning. You can tell a lot about a company from how the CEO treats the interns...there is a great company culture here at Horizon. 

Have you faced any particular challenges? If so, describe them. How have you overcome them?

I had a really hard time adjusting to the 9-5 schedule and learning the subway has been difficult for me. I'm from a small town so I'm used to driving everywhere or walking on campus. I overcame this challenge by asking employees at the company how they navigate to work. Everyone was very helpful. I'm never afraid to ask for help!

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your internship?

I'm hoping to get a sense of where I fit in the advertising and marketing world. There are so many different positions in this industry and I'm really hoping I find my perfect match. I'm also hoping to really excel at the intern project and am excited to work for a real client. I'm hoping to achieve great experience from the project.

What advice would you give to others looking to get internships next summer?

Be yourself, start your search early, and follow your passion. My passion for the marketing and advertising world really showed during my interviews for this position. I started my internship search in the beginning of the school year, which I highly recommend you do too. There are a lot of opportunities out there as long as you are willing to work for them. I messaged recruiters on LinkedIn, spent hours on Google looking up agencies, and spent as much time preparing for my interviews as I did for my exams. 

If you would like to chat more about Horizon Media or my experiences, email me at lkrzisni@umich.edu or feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.