Sasha Polissky

Describe some of the steps you took to obtain your internship.

In order to obtain my position as a Creative Copy Intern at Zimmerman Advertising, I applied through the InfuZion website and consistently followed up with the human resources department. Once I was able to secure an interview at the Fort Lauderdale office, I made sure to review the company thoroughly to prove that I embodied the Zimmerman ZNA. Shortly after, I was selected as one of the top 50 applicants for the 2016 InfuZion Internship Program out of the hundreds of people that had applied. Overall, only 30 applicants were capable of being selected so they had each applicant complete the next step in the interview process to see whether they would be a good fit for the role. I utilized my relevant experience that I had held as well as my passion and dedication to create groundbreaking campaigns in the industry to showcase that I would be an asset to the company.

Describe some of your responsibilities or duties during the internship experience.

For the duration of the InfuZion program, we were tasked with creating a fully integrated advertising campaign for Tire Kingdom. I was the team lead of my group consisting of one Creative Copy Intern, one Creative Art Intern and three Account Services Interns. My role consisted of optimizing workflow efficacy and providing input on team member’s responsibilities. As the Copywriter in my group, I was responsible for creating and editing content for both in-house projects as well as numerous clients within the agency. To prepare for the final pitch, I participated in research and strategy as well as creative concepting by creating mock-ups such as social media advertisements and developing storyboards and scripts for radio and pre-roll advertisements. At the end of the program, my group wowed the Zimmerman and Tire Kingdom executives with a fully integrated campaign from the information ascertained throughout the twelve-week program.

What was a typical day like?

Each day at Zimmerman was different. From Monday through Thursday of every week, we would rotate throughout various departments in the industry ranging from retail to automotive. Through each department, we were able to fully assimilate ourselves in the advertising industry and participate in brainstorming sessions, conduct research for clients and create content that was utilized by the company. We were able to experience extraordinary aspects of the industry such as a breakdown of commercials being made, potential client pitches and behind the scenes photo shoots for internal clientele.

As a group, all 30 interns participated in creating a blog in which I functioned as the writer and editor of various content published regarding our life as contenders in the Zimmerman ring to serve as a resource for future applicants. Interns were also given the opportunity to attend the Omnicom Intern Enrichment Program in New York City to gain knowledgeable information from communications professionals, along with being introduced to various career opportunities.

What are some major takeaways from your experience? How will these help prepare you for the next step after graduation?

Through this program I was able to make connections with top executives through various onboardings that helped me not only prepare for the final pitch, but also showed me the ins and outs of the industry. Through the rotations I was also able to be assimilated in all facets of the company and learn about the rigorous standard that the industry expects of you. Zimmerman allowed me to do things outside of my comfort zone from creating projects in InDesign to participating in research and strategy. It truly was an eye opening experience and exposed me to the work ethic expected in such an intensive field that will set me apart in any future position.

Did this experience help clarify your career path? How so?

This internship has reinforced my passion for Copywriting in the communications field. By being the team lead I also discovered a new passion for Project Management that I may explore in the near future, in order to ensure that projects are delivered on time and everyone stays on task.