English Major Gets a Glimpse of the Corporate World Through IBM Internship
Graham Klimley '19, IBM
Major:
Internship title:
External communications intern.
What I do, day to day:
First, I work in external communications, focusing on IBM’s competitors, such as Accenture, Oracle, Amazon, Google and Microsoft. By utilizing an application called Zignal, I track tweets and stories about these companies to follow their current activity and analyze how IBM is staying in the race with them competitively. Second, I work in critical communications, transcribing videos from multiple news sites when IBM is mentioned in the story. My transcripts are sent out to the team so they can have the appropriate text as needed. In addition, I research and write pitches with the newsroom team developing ways to have companies pick up on IBM solutions. The pitch specifies what IBM is accomplishing with a certain company and focuses on how we might help your organization as well. Lastly, I am working with the sports marketing team specifically focusing on the U.S. Open tennis tournament. On the hospitality side, I am planning the corporate weekend to ensure that all the IBM guests have an enjoyable experience and coordinating with MKTG, an organization with sports and entertaining expertise. My duties also involve collaborating with the sports marketing group to brainstorm how IBM can best promote itself to existing and potential new clients from a social media perspective. Along those lines, as an individual research project, I am also focusing on what millennials think of the Big Blue and how to spread the word; namely, how does IBM leverage itself as a company that is an agent for social change with millennials and others outside of the IBM corporate universe?
Other internships:
In the summer of 2017, I interned at MSNBC for First Look Morning Joe, and in the summer of 2016, I interned at NBC Sports.
Most valuable part of this experience:
For me, the most valuable part of this internship is definitely networking and learning. Networking is a huge factor today, and it's important to have a large network. Also, just learning about IBM as a company and how much they do is fascinating.
Advice for students considering internships:
Don't be intimidated. Applying for internships is a stressful thing to do, but attack it. Don't think that you can't get an internship because you don't fit a certain criteria. Have an open mind, and the pieces will fall into place.
How this internship has helped me:
This internship has given me an idea of how the working life is. It's a grind, and your success will depend on your work and attitude. Every day I come into the IBM office prepared to face a lot of work but have the mindset that no matter what, I will get this done. It has also given me an idea about how corporate companies work. It's been an amazing experience thus far.
Post-Dickinson plans:
I hope to go into sports marketing or sports entertainment when I graduate this coming spring.
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Published August 3, 2018