InternViews: Max Redmond

InternViews is a series where we ask Grady College students to describe their internship experience.

Max Redmond is a second-year advertising major from Macon, Georgia. This year, he’s spending his summer as a public relations and social media content intern at See Spark Go, an integrated public relations, creative and marketing agency in Athens. Read more about his internship experience below.

Provide a brief overview of your role and its associated responsibilities.

This summer, I’m working as an account support intern through the Public Relations and Social Media Content Internship at See Spark Go in Athens, Georgia. As a member of the Support Staff at See Spark Go, I serve five diverse clients, primarily creating social media content for platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn. I help brainstorm, create and edit both written and creative materials, as well as fulfill other requests from my account leads as they pertain to clients’ specific needs. Additionally, I have had opportunities to assist with internal projects within See Spark Go.

What opportunities have you had during your internship?

Working at a public relations and creative agency, there are various opportunities for me to be exposed to different facets of working in the industry, including participating in client-specific projects, assisting with internal See Spark Go projects and observing full-time coworkers as they utilize their expertise to tell the best stories for the world. In terms of specific opportunities I’ve been given, there have been numerous instances where I’ve gotten to sit down with full-time employees at SSG and gain wisdom from them. For example, each Monday morning, we meet as a Support Staff with one of the CEOs to participate in a short discussion called “Mind Right Monday.” The goal of these meetings is to briefly discuss a topic from a book called The Habitudes, where we digest and exercise leadership principles to prepare our minds for excellence before we start the week. By being intentional with more than just our career skill sets and learning how to deepen our general life skills, we become more well-rounded as a result and slowly become more valuable assets to potential future employers.

What is one piece of work you are proud of creating in this role?

Because my primary responsibility in the internship is to create content for various social platforms, I design an assortment of materials for each client, and often, the tasks may feel redundant; however, I love that See Spark Go desires to help us explore other avenues within the
industry, giving us experience we may not receive elsewhere. That being said, I had a unique opportunity to be part of an internal project at SSG, assisting with the development of an updated website for the agency. Although the work is not necessarily something I solely created on my own, I was really invested in the small part I got to play in something as vast as this project. I learned more overall about our agency, as well as many of the clients we serve, by researching and inputting case study information into the system for the new website. Now, I’m able to visit the site and, by clicking a few buttons, see the small part I got to play in its execution.

Did you receive any mentorship or guidance? How did it impact your experience?

One of my favorite aspects of the internship is that every member of the Support Staff is paired with someone who works full-time at See Spark Go through a mentorship relationship. As young professionals, there is a lot we can learn from those who are even a few steps ahead of us in their careers. By meeting one-on-one with people within our industry to ask questions and be curious, we develop a deeper understanding of how to pursue excellence and become more enthusiastic about the work we get to do. As I’ve gotten to know my mentor this summer, I’ve learned that we had very similar experiences growing up that helped develop the interests we have now. Additionally, we share a lot of similar hobbies apart from work, which we may not have realized had it not been for the mentorship aspect of the internship. It’s incredibly beneficial to have someone who’s a step ahead of me that I can lean on in moments when I may not feel fully equipped for the work I’m doing.

What challenges have you overcome in this role?

Agency life is a fast-paced environment, constantly changing and evolving. One particular obstacle I’ve grown to overcome took place at the beginning of this internship cycle. Before the first full week, I was assigned five clients to work with throughout the semester; however, shortly after I received my assignments, I learned that two of my clients were no longer going to be with See Spark Go by the time I would normally be deep into the semester. Because of this unexpected shift (which is typical in agencies), I had to determine how best I could be of assistance before my supervisors could figure out what other areas within the agency needed help. Additionally, as a student who recently finished my second year, I haven’t had much experience within the industry. I had to learn how to navigate certain aspects of the job, as well as understand that asking questions is not a weakness. The only way to become better at what we do is by humbling ourselves and recognizing how incredibly valuable it is to have coworkers who also want us to succeed.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you gained from your experience?

“Feedback is oxygen.” Something that we repeat almost daily in the office is how important feedback is to our work. The stories we share on behalf of our clients are extremely valuable. As we write, design and create graphics to convey messages to the audience, we have to make sure that every detail falls within brand guardrails and standards. By allowing others to preview and provide feedback on our work, we can ensure that the work we send to our clients will be pleasing to them and exceed their expectations.

Editor: Sarah Kate Maher, skm01341@uga.edu