Comments on: Open Letter From an Ad Agency Intern

By: jj

jj — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:04:10 +0000

Having taught and worked in this market I have one thing to say. An entitled attitude from the beginning is what I’m thinking is the problem. If you have a bad internship experience is at least 50% your fault.

By: Problem Solved » Dear Grad,

Problem Solved » Dear Grad, — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:46:43 +0000

[...] Get a reality check. You may have the chops in a room full of your classmates. You may have some nice school work for your portfolio. In reality, you have a piece of paper. The same piece of paper that everyone else does, minus the experience. You’ve done nothing, and you have everything to prove. The best way to get past that, is to prove it. Stick it out, put in your time and whatever happens, don’t do this. [...]

By: DD Kullman

DD Kullman — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:18:32 +0000

Jenavi was one of my students at Art Institute of Phoenix – actually one of my brightest. She had the desire and drive to learn, grow and excel in advertising. As a 25 year industry veteran I know that internships come with some “dirty work.” But what good are they, really, if they’re not a bridge between school and work, helping interns put the theories to the test in the real world, and gaining the professional tools they need?

One of the biggest problems in the Phoenix market is that there’s no serious account management training or mentoring going on. Jenavi has what it takes to be a very good AE, but the internship didn’t provide the environment.

Note to my peers in ad agencies and design firms around town: Please put together a detailed job description for your interns and clarify expectations BEFORE they sign on. It’s just simple common sense…what we ad people are supposed to have in spades.

By: Isac

Isac — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:00:41 +0000

I know Jenavi personally – she was a student in my eMarketing class at the Art Institute of Phoenix. She is brilliant, hard working and with impeccable ethical conduct. I am sure she has a great professional future ahead of her.

By: Alan Dayley

Alan Dayley — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:28:41 +0000

This post and the threads are an interesting education in differences between industries. I work in high tech engineering and development. The difference between that industry and advertising is stark. The main difference:

- PR or advertising interns are expected to do things for a year or so that could easily be done by any reasonable but untrained person, just to earn their stripes.

- Engineering interns are expected to write code, review schematics, test things and apply their training, with guidance as needed.

I suppose Jenavi’s expectations were out of line for the type of work she has chosen to do. But asking an engineering intern to sort pens or clean offices would not only be considered demeaning but also wasting the skills of a valuable contributor.

Seems like the PR industry is wasting creative minds if it takes a few months to a year before substantial contributions are allowed.

By: thatGuy

thatGuy — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:46:02 +0000

She’ll be fine. She’s hot.

PS: All this commenting stuff is lame. Get back to work.

By: Micah

Micah — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:30:18 +0000

Ruin career? No. She will probably regret her attitude in the future though. You don’t help yourself by hurting others. If she truly didn’t like the internship she could have left without telling them off. Better to leave bridges in tact.

By: Maria Radloff

Maria Radloff — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:44:38 +0000

Trying to figure out if Jenavi is all Jerry Sprenger airing her dirty laundry on here, or Paris Hilton marketing genius, even getting herself a guest speaker role for her dirty deeds. All I can say is the comments back to her posting aren’t nearly as funny or ridiculous or nasty as the comments would have been if Paris Hilton or Jerry Sprenger had written it, so I’m honestly not amused. I think I’ll go ready some of Tyler H’s tweets instead.

By: Once an Intern

Once an Intern — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:26:27 +0000

I totally feel her pain. I was an intern for a large real estate firm not too long ago. The executives treated me the same way. I loved how these companies claim to teach you all about the real world and how to be a professional within your market. O yes, they teach you…about how they can scam interns for cheap labor and terrible busy work. My advice, find a young growing company that seeks out interns for the use of their new attitudes and bright ideas. Not uneducated “executives” who are trying to show their dominance by hiring students who are looking for a chance to grow.

By: Jeremie Lederman

Jeremie Lederman — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:36:52 +0000

I tell you what everyone, welcome to the new millennium.

The same people who bark about the intrinsic needs of clients and businesses to adapt to new realities are whining that she didn’t enjoy old school processes. The days where someone’s ego or self-importance rule the roost are diminishing.

Here’s the thing, I have no idea who she’s talking about, but I have a great idea that the people who brought her in are more likely to just have mismanaged.

How many of you really believe that she was given grunt-work due to some grander plan? Please…

There are plenty of places to work, if not, make your own. either way… opportunity is not a visitor that randomly knocks, it is a flowing river that will wash over anyone who jumps in. She probably did herself a big favor in the long run.