Jaidah Whitehead '26 Digital Media Intern

Jaidah Whitehead '26 (BSBA Marketing) was a Digital Media Intern at Creative Artists Agency in Tucson, Arizona.

The internship did not offer me housing or roommates, however they did provide a small travel stipend because of the distance. They also did provide a pamphlet that included information about local/suggested living accommodations near the office's location. Housing was probably the hardest challenge I had starting this summer, but ultimately it all worked out in the end!

What was the process for getting this internship, job, or summer experience? 

The process for me started the summer before Junior year. That's when I started looking into potential companies that I would want to intern at during the next summer. 

Once the school year started, I began the process of forming connections and building professional relationships that could help me achieve the goal of landing an internship. LinkedIn was my best friend during this process, it really helped me find UArizona alum within the field I want to pursue, and even helped me connect to non-alum who worked at companies I was interested. Additionally, being part of a professional development club through Eller helped me immensely in getting connected to people in my desired field, as well as helping me narrow down what my career goals are. I have been a member of the Business of Entertainment club for almost two years now, and I can't emphasize enough how much that helped me get to where I am today.

After forming connections (and genuine ones, not just transactional!) I began completing my internship applications and reaching out to recruiters for these positions via LinkedIn. Many of my recruiter messages went unanswered, and that's okay! There were a few that I was able to connect with, which is a great way to get your name fresh in their minds and utilize them as a resource for making your applications stronger/seeing what they are looking for in candidates.

After submitting applications, then began the waiting process for interviews. Many positions I applied to in September and October I didn't hear back from until January or later! The internship I took this summer, I didn't hear back from the recruiter until February! So everyone's process is different and every company is different as well. While I waited to see if I would land an interview, I utilized the wonderful Career Coaches through Eller to go over interview advice and run mock interviews to get me prepared.

Then the interviews came and went, and a couple weeks later I was called and extended an offer to join for the summer! Overall, I think it's important to be intentional throughout this process, stay informed, build connections, and utilize the resources that are available to you to make you successful. 

What was a typical day like?

A typical day for me began with checking my inbox to check for any important tasks that may have come in from the day before. After that, I made sure to check in with not only my supervisor, but all of the members of my department to see if any help was needed and to search for my next project. Oftentimes, I had 2-3 projects going on at a time that would take me anywhere between an hour to a week to finish! It all depended on the complexity of the project.

In between working on projects, I made sure to schedule chats with different people throughout the company to start building relationships internally. I ended up having official chats with 35 people at the company in the 8 weeks I spent there, from assistants to senior talent agents to department heads! All with the goal of learning about what they do and absorbing their insights and career advice.

When I wasn't chatting or working on projects, the company had programmed several intern events for us to attend to gain further career development. We got to listen to speaker session from the partners of the company, participate in volunteer opportunities, and attend intern mixers to network with our peers. 

All of this to say, my internship was filled with a range of truly incredible experiences. Each day was a different blend of all these wonderful programming opportunities, which kept me excited for each new day that came. 

What was your favorite part of the experience?

My favorite part of my internship experience was the people! The company was filled with truly incredible people who were passionate about the same things that I am. Each person I met had a unique story and valuable insights to share about life, careers, personal development, and so much more. Getting to meet and connect with so many talented individuals is something I will cherish for the rest of my life!

What did you find most challenging?

Imposter syndrome was probably the hardest part for me to overcome during my internship. Being surrounded by so many talented people, not only the professionals employed at the company but also the fellow interns, it can be hard to see where exactly you fit into the picture. But, what helped me was remembering the process I took to get to that spot. The application I worked for hours on, the resume I curated, the interviews that I had prepped for. Interns are chosen out of such an extensive pool of highly qualified and amazing candidates! So when you make it, don't let imposter syndrome hold you back from getting the most out of the program. Remember what got you there, and remember that you made it!