Name: Callia Hargrove
Intern Position Title: Digital/Social Media Intern
Company Name: Ralph Lauren
Location: New York
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I’m a twenty-year-old native New Yorker. I live in Manhattan and attend the Fashion Institute of Technology. I’m currently interning in the social media department at Ralph Lauren. This is my fourth internship and so far, it’s one of the most exciting/interesting/challenging!
Can you tell us the steps you took to land this internship?
I got this internship through sheer luck. One of my old bosses at Of a Kind knew someone in the social media department at Ralph Lauren who was looking for an intern, and she recommended me. From there I went through two interviews and I started in September.
What attracted you to this company?
I love how classic Ralph Lauren is. I grew up wearing Ralph Lauren and it’s so great to have the opportunity to intern at a place with so much history. It’s also great that Ralph Lauren is one of the first companies that I’ve interned at that my family recognizes. To them, it’s like a little symbol that I’m making it.
What skills are you learning at this internship?
So many skills. This is my first internship in social media so I sort of went in a little blind. I was pretty well-versed on all of the different social channels but I was missing the connection between ideas and executions. I’m learning a lot about how to translate one idea into something that can live on all of the different social media platforms.
What has been a highlight so far?
Definitely helping out with Ralph Lauren’s involvement in the 2014 Olympics. I got to really lend some of my ideas to what’s coming up in terms of social, and it was very exciting to be involved with something so iconic.
Most challenging part?
To me the most challenging thing in all of my internships has been balancing my schedule. Along with interning, I have a part-time job at a photography museum and I go to school full-time. I literally have one day off a week. Sometimes it can be hard to find time to breathe, but in order to get where I want to be, I know that I have to hustle.
Could you describe what a typical day is like for you as an intern?
Most days in the social media department start off with checking Ralph Lauren’s various social channels (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.). I’m mainly responsible for Pinterest so I check in with the team to see what we’re trying to achieve for the day and what needs to be pinned. Afterwards, we might have a brainstorm for a new initiative or continue working on a plan that’s almost in the execution stage. Social media is constantly changing, so each day brings something new.
Give us one word to describe your workplace environment:
Inspiring. Everyone on the social media team is great on their own, but seeing all of us come together and merge our ideas to create something that I can watch live on our social channels is so rewarding.
What advice would you give to someone just starting to look for an internship?
I would say don’t let a “no” stop you. I’ve probably applied to over 50 internships and gotten offered less than 10. Don’t be afraid of rejection. Yolo is my motto and I’m always putting myself out there for things. In the fashion industry, nothing worth having comes easy, so be ready to work hard and make connections. Once you get that internship, all of your hard work will be worth it.
What is your dream job?
This changes every week. I know that I want to work in fashion in an area that combines writing and marketing, but I’m just not sure what that job looks like exactly. Right now I’m thinking a Digital Market Editor, but tomorrow I’ll probably have a different answer.
