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What is a marketing internship and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Jill Koehler,
Michelle R. Eubanks
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A marketing internship provides hands-on experience in the field, allowing individuals to learn about market research, advertising, and branding. Marketing internships aim to provide individuals with the practical skills and knowledge to succeed in the industry. Marketing interns work with professionals to create marketing plans, analyze data, identify trends, and develop social media campaigns. Through their work, marketing interns gain valuable experience that can help them secure permanent positions in the field.

What general advice would you give to a marketing internship?

Jill KoehlerJill Koehler LinkedIn profile

Associate Dean, Career Development and Part-Time Faculty, Quinnipiac University

My advice for a graduate beginning their career with a degree in marketing would be to hit the ground running by learning as much as possible about the industry you are working in. Keep reaching, expanding, and challenging yourself while always remaining flexible and open to new ideas and situations. Stay hungry and vigilant.

Talk to your colleagues about what types of things they had to learn the hard way, the most valuable skills they have learned, and ask if there is anything they would recommend you add to your skillset that you may not currently possess.

Stay current on marketing trends - what is hot, what's not, the influencers, who are the major players, and make as many authentic connections as you go.

Take care of your network. By that, keep the people who helped you get to where you are apprised of where you have landed and offer genuine appreciation for any help they may have provided. At the same time, continue to build your network with the people you are meeting along the way.

LinkedIn is your friend. Share professional thoughts and share ideas on LinkedIn to keep yourself visible as someone who has something to say and contribute while making sure to steer clear from anything political or controversial.
ScoreMarketing InternshipUS Average
Salary
2.4

Avg. Salary $30,260

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.9

Growth rate 19%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.13%

Asian 14.21%

Black or African American 4.73%

Hispanic or Latino 11.24%

Unknown 4.89%

White 64.81%

Gender

female 60.38%

male 39.62%

Age - 34
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34
Stress level
4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a marketing internship?

Pros

  • Develop new skills through training and mentorship programs

  • Opportunity to work on real-world projects and campaigns

  • Chance to contribute to a company's success and growth

  • Possibility of receiving academic credit for the internship

  • May receive a stipend or compensation for your work

Cons

  • May involve long hours or tight deadlines

  • Could be unpaid or low-paying, depending on the company

  • Possibility of feeling undervalued or unappreciated as an intern

  • May not align with your career goals or interests in the long term

  • Could be competitive to secure a desirable internship position.

Marketing internship career paths

Key steps to become a marketing internship

  1. Explore marketing internship education requirements

    Most common marketing internship degrees

    Bachelor's

    84.0 %

    Associate

    6.2 %

    Master's

    6.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific marketing internship skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Digital Marketing10.83%
    PowerPoint7.10%
    Facebook6.46%
    Marketing Campaigns5.63%
    Press Releases5.49%
  3. Complete relevant marketing internship training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New marketing interns learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a marketing internship based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real marketing internship resumes.
  4. Research marketing internship duties and responsibilities

    • Lead the establishment of QA lab and product support organization.
    • Coordinate daily office tasks: complete deposits, enter and track donations, manage Quickbooks, set appointments.
    • Provide administrative support managing CMS.
    • Manage website updates and support social media initiatives on Facebook and LinkedIn.
  5. Prepare your marketing internship resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your marketing internship resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a marketing internship resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable marketing internship resume templates

    Build a professional marketing internship resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your marketing internship resume.
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  6. Apply for marketing internship jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a marketing internship job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first marketing internship job

Zippi

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Average marketing internship salary

The average marketing internship salary in the United States is $30,260 per year or $15 per hour. Marketing internship salaries range between $23,000 and $39,000 per year.

Average marketing internship salary
$30,260 Yearly
$14.55 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do marketing interns rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

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1 star

Marketing internship reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019
Pros

Being able to help enhance websites for clients.

Cons

There was a learning about SEO and all the data behind it. Wasn’t taught in school and supervisors were new to it.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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