Marketing Internship Course Assignments

(Marketing 4880)
After you have met with your Career Services counselor, your Marketing
faculty advisor, and registered for Marketing 4880 credit …
Submit the following written assignments to your Career Services counselor by e­mail or
fax to 581­5217 or in person to 350 SSB during the week indicated. Assignments should
be at least one page, typewritten, spelled correctly, and of college quality. Include the
date, your name, your counselor’s name, and the assignment week # and topic.

Week #1
1. EMPLOYER SUPERVISOR APPROVAL OF OBJECTIVES: Submit to your counselor
via fax or hard copy the final version of your four learning objectives, signed and
approved by your employer supervisor. (This is not a one­page assignment.)

2. Submit a one­page paper about...

EMPLOYER PROFILE: Give the name of your company and your title. Describe your
organization/employer. Describe the size and scope of your company, the product or
service, company history, your clients, kind of management style, etc. Is this an
environment that matches your personal and professional values? What career path
could you follow with this organization? If none, how does this internship relate to your
planned career path? If possible, attach a company organization chart (job titles and
reporting lines). Close observation of your surroundings will be of future use to you.

Week #2
Submit a one­page paper about:
INITIATIVE: Showing initiative in the workplace is a prime reason why people receive
promotions, get raises, and, in the case of interns, receive offers of full­time
employment. Discuss both steps “1” and “2” below:
1. Choose one of the following

a. Describe 2­3 actions that you have taken in your internship workplace that
demonstrated your initiative. Have you offered to do something above and
beyond your normal duties? Have you figured out a better way to do a
common task? How did your supervisor or co­workers respond to your effort?
… or …

b. If you have difficulty identifying ways in which you have shown initiative, you
may instead describe the performance of a co­worker or supervisor in your
workplace who is a good example of a person who shows initiative and gives
extra effort. Provide details of situations in which you’ve observed that
person’s initiative.

2. Identify some extra things you could offer to do or suggest some ways you might do
your job more efficiently. These suggestions could be tasks that require higher­level
skills than your job description.
Week #3
1. Submit a one­page paper about ...
LEARNING OBJECTIVE #1: Expand on one of your four objectives (please identify at
the start of your assignment which objective you’re addressing) established at the outset
of your internship and analyze your progress toward its completion. How did you learn,
and what did you learn? Also, describe the training available to assist your proficiency
and growth in this area.

2. SCHEDULE SITE VISIT: Schedule a mutually convenient date and time with your
counselor for him/her to visit you and your supervisor at your workplace. Prepare to
briefly show your counselor around, explaining how you fit into the organization as a
whole. Your counselor will want to thank your supervisor for participating with you in this
internship experience. (The site visit should take place between Week #3 and Week
#13.)

Week #4
ETHICAL DILEMMAS: Ethics are the standards of conduct of a particular profession or
group. Examples of a few ethical standards include:

· Journalists protect the identity of their sources and also avoid receiving
money or other favors from those about whom they write.
· Health care professionals maintain patient confidentiality and also report
public health hazards to government authorities.
· Mortgage lenders pledge to advise clients of all costs.
· Career counselors strive to avoid imposing their personal values or biases on
those whom they advise.

A dilemma is defined as a situation in which one must choose between difficult

alternatives. In an ethical dilemma, choosing between alternatives is challenging
because ethical standards may be in conflict. Either choice may uphold one ethical
standard but, at the same time, violate another. There may not be a clear­cut way to
choose between right and wrong.

Submit a paper in which you discuss both points “1” and “2” below:
1. Identify and write about the ethical standards in your current area of work or in
your planned career. Some professional groups have their own written code of
ethics. Many ethical standards of the business world have become law. You may
wish to consult your supervisor or other manager to learn what standards of
professional conduct you’re expected to follow.

2. And then, write about “a” or “b” below:

a. Discuss a real ethical dilemma that actually has arisen at your workplace
… or …
b. Discuss a potential ethical dilemma that could arise in your workplace.
When writing about either “a” or “b,” explain the different ways that you could choose to
handle the dilemma and still consider your behavior “ethical.” State whether the situation
you discuss is hypothetical or actual.
· What ethical standards are involved?
· How do they conflict?
· How did you/would you resolve the dilemma, and why?

Week #5
SCHEDULE AND PREPARE FOR AN INTERNSHIP GROUP SESSION. Schedule your
participation in this one­hour session by registering online at
http://careers.utah.edu/forms/Internship.htm for a session that’s convenient for you. A
variety of sessions are available, but each session is limited to 10 participants, so
schedule in plenty of time to ensure a spot. You may participate in the group session any
time after Week #5. The session will provide you with experience in answering interview
questions. (You do not need to write a paper about this group session.)

Prior to attending this session, research the interview process. Review books on
interviewing techniques and tips in our Career Library (390 SSB). Visit the following
website for a document containing samples of behavior­based questions:
http://careers.utah.edu/downloads/SampleBehaviorBasedQuestions.pdf.

It is expected that you have developed or refined some marketable skills during this
internship experience. You need to know how to convey this information to a potential
employer in a natural manner without using notes. The internship group session will give
you valuable interview practice. For each participant, the practice session will have two
parts:
1. In an interview, candidates are often asked to “tell me about yourself.” The
interviewer is looking for a brief (60­90 seconds) “personal commercial” –
think of it as a brief summary of your resume. It is not an autobiography full of
personal information, but rather a statement of your strengths, interests and
skills gained through this internship and other academic and work
experience. It likely will also include your major, graduation date, and type of
job you seek. Make this statement in a concise and articulate fashion.
2. The Career Services facilitator will then ask you one or more behavior­based
interview questions from the list on our website at
http://careers.utah.edu/downloads/SampleBehaviorBasedQuestions.pdf.
Answer each question as if you were interviewing for a real career­level job –
one that you might actually pursue after graduation.

Week #6
Submit a one­page paper about ...
LEARNING OBJECTIVE #2: Expand on another one of your four learning objectives
(please identify at the start of your assignment which objective you’re addressing) and
analyze your progress toward its completion. How did you learn, and what did you learn?
Also, articulate the relevance of this particular objective to your major or career goals.
Week #7
SUPERVISOR MIDTERM EVALUATION: Have your employment supervisor fill out the
midterm evaluation form (available at
http://www.business.utah.edu/updir/735_marketing_MktgMidtermEmployerEvaluation.pd
f ) and meet with him/her to discuss the evaluation. Submit the evaluation to your
counselor via fax or hard copy. Submit a one­page paper about ...

REACTION TO EVALUATION: Write your reaction to the midterm evaluation. Does the
evaluation correspond with your own perception of your performance? Describe your
methods of communicating with your supervisors and co­workers, and evaluate the
professional effectiveness of those communication techniques.

Week #8
Submit a one­page paper about...
CAREER RESEARCH: Research a career in marketing that interests you by gathering
information from printed resources such as newspaper articles, magazines, books,
Internet sites, and professional association information. The Career Library in 390 SSB
is an excellent resource. In your paper, summarize the information you gathered that
was new and relevant to you. How will you use this information? You must cite at least
two different sources (e.g., author + title of book, URL + name of organization for a
website).

In this assignment you are not looking for job openings, but rather are seeking a broader
picture of the career (satisfactions, challenges, trends, education and experience
required/desired, salaries, effect on personal life, likely career progression, etc.).

Suggested resources located in the Career Library:

· The Chronicle of Guidance Publications
· Career Guide to Industries
· Encyclopedia of Careers & Vocational Guidance

Suggested online resources:

· ONET – Dictionary to Occupational Titles:
http://online.onetcenter.org/find
· Occupational Outlook Online: http://www.bls.gov/oco/
· America’s Career InfoNet: http://www.acinet.org

Week #9
Submit a one­page paper about ...
INFORMATION INTERVIEW: Report on an information interview with a professional
outside of your company (and who is not an immediate family member or close friend)
who represents a career that you might wish to pursue. Before you conduct the
interview, e­mail or phone your counselor for approval of your proposed
interviewee (person whom you wish to interview). Advise your counselor of the name,
title, and organization of your interviewee, as well as a brief description of his/her
responsibilities.
After the interview, summarize in your paper the new and useful information that you
gathered about the career, and also include the name, title, and organization of your
interviewee. Write a thank­you letter to your interviewee and include a copy of it
when you submit the assignment. Career Services can provide you with a handout on
information interviewing (http://careers.utah.edu/careers/infointerviews.htm) and on
writing a thank­you letter (http://careers.utah.edu/jobSearch/thankYou.htm).

Week #10
Submit a one­page paper about ...
LEARNING OBJECTIVE #3: Expand on another learning objective (please identify at the
start of your assignment which objective you’re addressing) and analyze your progress
toward its completion. How did you learn, and what did you learn? Also, how does your
progress toward this objective complement the mission of your organization at large?

Week #11
Submit a one­page paper about ...
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES: Imagine that you are a manager within your
organization. Could you propose some changes that would increase efficiency, improve
working conditions, and boost employee morale? Be imaginative! Keep in mind that
every organization values worker productivity and operational effectiveness. Are there
motivational programs or incentives you could develop to improve organizational output?

How would you make the workplace more satisfying? What techniques might you utilize
to handle employees who are lazy, slow to learn, and/or are not working to capacity? Are
there already programs that are particularly effective where you work? Give specific
examples to support your proposals.

Week #12
Submit a one­page paper about ...
LEARNING OBJECTIVE #4: Expand on the final learning objective (please identify at
the start of your assignment which objective you’re addressing) and analyze your
progress toward its completion. How did you learn, and what did you learn?

Week #13
1. RESUME: Submit to your counselor an updated copy of your resume. Be sure the
resume includes experiences and skills gained during this internship, showcasing
your recent accomplishments to the fullest. (The four learning objectives that you’ve
worked on throughout your internship may provide the basis for “bullet points” of
accomplishment on your resume.) For resume­writing help, peruse the many books of
resume samples and tips in the Career Library (390 SSB) or go to
http://careers.utah.edu/resume/index.htm.

(After you complete your internship, your counselor will be happy to meet with you to
further refine your resume to highlight your skills and accomplishments. Contact your
counselor when you’d like to make an appointment to polish your resume.)
2. SUPERVISOR FINAL EVALUATION: Have your employment supervisor fill out the
final evaluation form (available at
http://www.business.utah.edu/updir/730_marketing_MktgFinalEmployerEvaluation.pdf )
and meet with him/her to discuss the evaluation. Submit the evaluation to your counselor
via fax or hard copy.

Week #14
** Submit your final project directly to your Marketing faculty advisor.
FINAL PROJECT/MARKETING PLAN: Your marketing plan will be a profile of the
company for which you are working as an intern. It consists of information about your
company and its products or services, objectives, strategies, and tactics. Generally, it
outlines the marketing activities to be performed during a designated future time period
(approx. six months or one year). In it you'll document a situation analysis, the specific
action plans to be implemented, the techniques and measurements used to determine
success of the plan, and the costs of planned marketing activities (primarily product
development, advertising and market research).

To assist you in writing a comprehensive marketing plan your marketing faculty advisor
will provide examples, outlines and support materials. Typically, it will be about a twenty
to twenty-five page document (not including attachments).

If you have questions, contact your Marketing faculty advisor to clarify expectations.
(Your final paper will be evaluated by a Marketing faculty member who will also look at
your weekly assignments to give you a final grade.)

After submitting your final paper to your Marketing faculty advisor, contact your career
counselor to verify that you’ve completed all internship requirements satisfactorily.
Remember to keep copies of all of your assignments until after your grade is officially
posted.

After finishing your internship, stay in touch with your career counselor for free personal
assistance at Career Services. He/she can help you to:
· Polish your resume
· Sign up for workshops to prepare you for career fairs and interviewing
· Use the job postings in eRecruiting
· Connect with recruiters from major companies conducting on­campus
interviews
· Negotiate the very best salary!