5 Lessons That Helped Me Grow as a Professional and a Person

Posted on September 26, 2020 by Michael Magnus
By Caroline Hughes

After returning from a cut-off freshmen year to my hometown suburb outside of Chicago, you can imagine my despair. I was forced to depart Texas Christian University, where I found my sense of belonging in a royal shade of purple, personable professors offering too much to learn, and a few terrific friends. The universal enemy herself, COVID-19, shipped me back to a colder climate and a far less enthralling scene.
Like the rest of my friends, I had practically given up on the idea of having a fruitful summer—whether that fruit comes in the form of a productive job or a memorable nightlife. The few agencies at which I had interviewed in downtown Chicago were event-based, so they pulled their programs due to the crisis. I accepted my fate of a season full of binge-watching, dog-walking, and summer course-taking.
Amidst this lull of a repetitive rhythm, I received a notification from my advertising professor that he was looking to hire two remote interns at his digital marketing and SEO firm this summer. I practically jumped out of my skin upon receiving the email; not only was I extremely flattered to have the chance to apply, but I was also hopeful of a dynamic experience filling these days of disease.
My enthusiasm only grew when I received the position as an intern and throughout the summer of work itself. Each week, receiving a list of new tasks felt like Christmas morning. (Well, maybe that’s excessive, but a little dramatization never killed anyone.) I felt empowered to take on the summer, growing in the professional realm and into a (sort-of) adult.
Plus, it always feels good to be typing away as an intern while all of your friends are pulling their hair out at whatever nanny gig they could find.
I could list all of the skills I acquired during this 12-week incubation period, but no one is here to take a crash course in the digital marketing world. Rather, I’ll share with you five life lessons that have further prepared me for the working world, as well for that thing called adulting.

1. You Can’t Run from the Digital World: SEO Matters.

I am not your stereotypical Gen-Z-er, but rather constantly complaining about our digital progress. At any social gathering, you’re likely to hear me ranting about how everyone needs to get off their TikToks, ring doorbells again instead of texting “here,” and use landlines. Growing up, my dream job was always to write for a classic NYC-based magazine—Cosmo, Vogue, Time. You name it; I wanted a desk and a typewriter.
Although these dreams are technically still feasible, the removal of print issues dulled the spark. That goes for every industry; watching technology trump print is a gloomy reminder that people like Steve Jobs really did change the world forever.
So, given this stance, you’re probably wondering why I am working for an SEO agency, or why I’m practically majoring in a program that requires digital proficiency. Despite my innate desire to live in the past, I am just as addicted to scrolling through Instagram as the next person. And, I understand the importance of adaptation.
But, wow, did I underestimate the significance of SEO. When I first learned about search engine optimization in my Intro to Advertising class, I figured I’d probably avoid it in my career given its analytical basis. (As I said, I aim to live more in the creative writing aspect of the industry.)
Little did I know that SEO is just about as crucial a skill as the quality of your writing itself. If you can’t get your content to the eyes of your desired demographic, all of your work may as well have been a waste of time. We are in an era defined by highly saturated internet spaces, as thousands of people product content daily. I learned how to optimize content on websites, both from scratch and with website builders. Standing out among the competitors with SEO practices can make or break getting out of the red.
No matter what PR, journalism, or advertising career I venture into during my 20s, I have the privilege of understanding the fundamentals of SEO. Keywords, backlinks, local listings, and content creation don’t begin to describe the knowledge I’ve acquired in these short 12 weeks. Having an SEO background not only allows my personal brand to be far more marketable, but it also causes my potential careers to be far more lucrative.

2. Putting Yourself in the Shoes of Clients: Projects.

Throughout this internship, I had the opportunity to work with a variety of clients. From international brands who are leading their industry to local brick-and-mortar businesses and even start-up nonprofits, you could say my portfolio is now quite diverse after this Summer.
One of my favorite aspects of the position was that Magnus provided my coworker and I Zoom calls with very successful individuals to learn from and be mentored by. I was able to casually interview the head of SEO for HostGator, Alexis Krasinski, a young, ambitious woman who is confident in her abilities to produce profits.
We held a call with Kate O’Donnell, a Senior Copywriter for Beauty Bio. Her story of moving to a big city to become a writer directly after college mirrored my own wide-eyed ambitions. Kate’s story was a cocktail of grit and passion, as she honestly and openly explained the challenging route to earning success in her position today.
These professionals would even edit some of my articles, providing constructive criticism of my work. While kneading through my weaknesses, they simultaneously highlighted my strengths, bringing me confidence, and installing authentic growth. Receiving recommendations outside of the classroom explicitly curated for my writing style is an invaluable and unique experience.
Finally, Magnus allowed us to work directly with Aaron Harris on his mission-driven nonprofit, Keeping My Promise. KMP seeks to provide underserved communities with educational access and career readiness assistance. I had the opportunity to contribute to this company by building the website and producing keyword-rich copy for numerous pages. In this process, I co-created a presentation that provided competitor research and keyword analysis to back my team’s decisions.
Directly working with clients allowed me to take a (brief) walk in various industries’ shoes and gain some insights on diversity. Due to the small size of the intern program, I was fortunate enough to receive customized feedback and have my ideas heard.

3. Collaboration is Crucial: Coworkers.

I have always pegged myself as a collaborative person; I thrive in taking the leadership role in a group project, bouncing ideas back and forth until everyone’s skills are utilized. More importantly, until everyone feels listened to. Even my Gallup Strengths test reports that almost all of my skills land in the “relational” umbrella category. So, yes, I categorize myself as a people-oriented individual.
However, that is not to say I can find my footing in a group setting off the bat. At the start of the 12 weeks, I was hesitant to ask for help from Magnus, or perhaps more problematically, admit if I was lost in that week’s material. However, his biweekly Zoom meetings always started with, “Tell me about last week’s challenges and achievements,” opening up the floor for transparency.
The internship’s structure allowed me to take the trial-by-fire approach on most tasks, while undoubtedly having a safety net below me (a constant reminder that nothing is fatal). This approach intentionally forced me to dive into the unknown blindly, which made me grow immensely as an individual.
You’re probably wondering why I dragged on about my apparent “people skills,” if this lesson was all about individuality. In reality, it’s a mix of both.
As the summer churned on and the other intern and I developed into compatible coworkers and authentic friends, I was able to lean on her for support and confirmation of my ideas. While editing our articles, we were honest with each other, providing constructive criticism for each piece of content written. Our writing styles contrasted immensely; hence we learned from one another’s strengths.
However, this is not to say my trial-by-fire approach flew out the window. Working with others to optimize results while establishing your personal capabilities is a tough balance. This summer taught me how to manage independence and interdependence, and that you really can have it all.

4. Rejection is Okay; Acceptance is Rewarding: Outreach.

A significant component of my experience interning at Magnus Opus was the outreach process. Coming into this program fresh out of Freshman year, I had zero idea what the publication process entailed. I knew articles showed up on websites, but I was in the dark about how almost anyone can have their work featured to fit the proper credentials.
Throughout the internship, I wrote about 10-12 articles centering around all different SEO-related topics. Once they were written, injected with seamlessly integrated links, and edited to near perfection, the outreach process began. My co-intern and I hesitantly stepped up to the plate that is our laptop keyboards and began pitching our ideas.
Magnus explained that rejection was a natural piece of outreach; sometimes, an implausible website that you were sure you were qualified for denies your work while a credible company you thought was a shot in the dark accepts your article. I’d describe the outreach process as a wheel of fortune; you never know what you’re going to get.
Besides teaching me that rejection isn’t personal and does not (usually) reflect your authorship capabilities, the outreach process further demonstrated the value of personalization. Some days, I cranked out more than 10 pitches to various websites, some way out of my league, some on behalf of Magnus, and some that I poured my heart into. Although it may have been far faster to send out of a concrete template with a few minor tweaks, I’ve always been one for the scenic route.
Personalizing each email and getting to know the potential publisher of your article indeed does pay off. It is extremely obvious when a writer takes the template approach; even if it lacks technical mistakes, the email itself may as well be as appetizing as stale bread. This lesson extends far beyond the outreach process and bleeds into any decision made in business.
If you can show you are an authentic human being who has a passion for your work, you’ll be hitting home runs in the first inning of your career.

5. You are Never Too Young: Publishing.

As I’ve mentioned a few too many times, I’ve always wanted to be a writer. Though I never had a solid idea of my topic of choice, I figured the opportunities would present themselves, and I would adapt.
This internship was no exception.
When I first began writing SEO articles, I anxiously awaited edits stating that my information was wrong, that I didn’t quite understand this concept, or that I communicated it in an ill manner. And although perhaps Magnus was just being a little too nice (considering I did have no idea what I was doing in my first article), I received none of those comments. Instead, I got suggestions about following my target audiences, finding a new synonym, breaking up sentences, etc.
My grip on SEO strengthened throughout the summer, as I was no longer that naive intern scared to submit her work. However, getting from point A to point B was unmistakably a learning moment that taught me that we know more than we think we do.
My typical route for writing an article in unfamiliar territory began by watching expert videos and reading informative articles while taking diligent notes. I then synthesized this information, continuously researching to fill in gaps, and adding in my own voice. Although I did not claim I was an expert, I commonly used my position as a relatable human with a personable writing voice to appeal to readers.
Additionally, I was able to leverage my position as a college student. Particularly in the world of marketing, but really in any industry, with which demographics you identify always bring value. Serving as a college student offers a voice a lot of accomplished workers have lost sight of. I wrote various articles from this angle, providing insights for other college students or offering a younger perspective for an older generation.
Regardless of which angle I championed, I proved my previous perception to be a misconception: I am not too young to have my work published. This summer alone, I have more than nine published articles. Talk about a proud portfolio moment—I am only going into my sophomore year.

These five lessons don’t even begin to express my gratitude for this summer’s internship; these short 12 weeks have paved the way for an incredible array of potential opportunities in my future. My knowledge of SEO, the digital world, and copywriting expanded immensely as I am growing into my professional blazer of the future.
Finally, I feel like I can call myself a writer, and I owe that all to my experience interning at Magnus Opus.

Check out some of my published articles below:

She Owns It: 5 Ways to Market to College Students From a College Student Herself
Social Media Delivered: Tackling the Ambiguous Web Hosting Decision Using the Three S’s
Syllabusy – 3 Ways to Gain Real-World Writing Experience in College
Rent, Buy, N Sell – 5 Local SEO Tips For Your Real Estate Business
Small Business Bonfire – Three Steps to Creating a Guest Post That Actually Gets Published
Content Career: 9 Tips For Uni Students: Take Your Blog From Amateur To Expert
College Cures: Strengthen Your College Portfolio with These 5 SEO Tips
Search Engine Cage: A Guide To Backlinks For Consumers And Marketers

Caroline Hughes is an honors student at Texas Christian University obtaining a Strategic Communication degree with a minor in Business. Caroline is a Content Creator with Magnus Opus, as well as publishing thought pieces on her personal lifestyle blog.