v-Fluence Blog

Inaugural Intern Calls v-Fluence Summer Intern Program A Perfect Fit

v-Fluence Interactive offers students and/or recent graduates the opportunity to take part in its internship program and contribute to the company’s Internet public relations and marketing activities and learn valuable research, online analytics and marketing skills. This summer, v-Fluence had the pleasure of having Jake Goldstein fill the role of Summer Intern. Below is a recap of Goldstein’s experiences at v-Fluence:

Working as a Market Analyst intern for v-Fluence gave me a clear understanding of the value of online reputation monitoring, and offered the tools and experience necessary to build a successful career in this field. It was an illuminating experience that shed light into the real world of online communications and introduced me to v-Fluence’s unique company structure.

Other company’s internships are often full of trivial tasks, or interns are given a complicated project with instructions that often lack context or a broader explanation of purpose. These concerns were not an issue at v-Fluence. Rather, work assignments were professional, pertinent and relevant to the PR/Marketing career path I’ve chosen. There are no trips to Starbucks for a Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte and three mini vanilla scones, nor are there dry-cleaning pick-ups or steak runs (yes, that last bit was a Devil Wears Prada reference). Rather, the program fully integrated me to the inner workings of the company, from relevant task assignments to joining weekly conference calls to learning the scope of the company through professional development meetings with various departments and employees.

For example, my main task at v-Fluence included supporting one of the company’s market analysis clients. In this role, I assisted Jason Muentnich, a full-time Market Analyst at v-Fluence, who also served as my performance lead. Jason proved to be a thorough teacher who clearly communicated tasks and made himself available to answer questions and provide help.

In addition to daily monitoring, interns occasionally receive ad hoc projects. One of these came from Jay Byrne, v-Fluence CEO, and focused on mobile application research. The project involved gathering and analyzing extensive data on health applications offered by the major mobile app providers. One might expect a heavy amount of data accumulation and Excel work to become monotonous, but that definitely was not the case. In fact, I grew increasingly interested as trends became more apparent, and I was able to draw my own insights and predictions about the mobile application industry. By doing such specific research on a particular area of media, you actually become an expert in that field, and, in turn, someone that other people go to for advice. For a student or recent graduate, this can be a completely foreign concept. I, personally, found it very rewarding.

Also, v-Fluence provided me training sessions regarding Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies, online press release optimization and website best practices, and I participated in brainstorming sessions every other week, where the team asked for my ideas to improve the company’s culture and products.

I also appreciated v-Fluence’s unique company culture. With its slogan of “It Starts Online,” the company knows that productivity can occur outside a confining cubicle. Work can be executed any place with an Internet connection and, in fact, v-Fluence’s other hubs (San Diego, Chicago, New York and D.C.) are primarily virtual. Electronic communication is formalized and efficient here. My schedule consisted of a nice balance between virtual and non-virtual office environments, which allowed me to find ways to effectively work in both. You learn a lot about time management, especially on the days where you work from home.

In the end, I value the experience and education I’m taking with me from v-Fluence. For someone looking to gain experience in digital communications and eager to work hard without a stuffy tie, jacket, and closet-sized cubicle environment, v-Fluence turned out to be the perfect fit!

Share this post: