I'm 19 years old, and after completing my Abitur last year, I decided to use my gap year to explore different internships to help me figure out my path in life. I've always had a wide range of interests, which unfortunately didn’t make things easier. Instead, it left me feeling unsure about which direction to take.
When people asked what I wanted to do in the future, my answer would usually be something along the lines of “either something in the film and TV industry, or marketing and advertising.”
To avoid the potential “nightmare” of sitting in a university lecture hall only to realize halfway through the semester that I’d made the wrong choice, I opted for a more hands-on approach. I started doing internships, hoping they would give me clearer insights into my true interests.
After five months at a video production company and another short-term internship, I reached out to Marvin, Audiencly’s Head of Sales and Campaigns. I sent him an email inquiring about internship opportunities at Audiencly, hoping to get a closer look at their work. That email ultimately led me to the desk I'm currently writing this blog post from, with two months of valuable experience at Audiencly now under my belt.
Of course, a few things happened in between, and I'd love to share my journey with you!
To be completely honest, while I genuinely love Audiencly and the team, I might not have ended up here without some twist of fate.
During the short-term internship I mentioned earlier, we flew to Northern Ireland to shoot a campaign for Game of Thrones: Legends in the actual Game of Thrones filming studios! It was an incredible experience. Little did I know that I would meet Marvin and Alessandro there, both part of the Audiencly family and the responsible people on site.
It was Audiencly’s campaign and shoot, while our team handled the filming and execution. That was the moment my interest in Audiencly really began to grow.
While working in Belfast, I needed Marvin's contact information, which turned out to be a fortunate coincidence. A little while later, I followed up and reached out.
After some emails, calls, and paperwork, I found myself in Düsseldorf, ready to start my two-month internship.
I was definitely nervous ringing the doorbell at the office for the first time, but as soon as Lea welcomed me, I had a feeling the next few weeks would be amazing.
The first two and a half weeks marked my orientation phase, where I rotated through nearly every department possible. That was great because it allowed me to narrow down what I enjoyed most.
The only problem? Everything was great.
I particularly enjoyed working with the Influencer Relations Managers, where I built a close connection with Lea as well as with Angelo, who supervised my internship at Audiencly.
I also really enjoyed working in the Marketing Department, collaborating with Sima, Audiencly’s Marketing Manager.
I contributed to several ongoing projects, some of which I sadly won’t see fully realized, as my time at Audiencly has already come to an end. Like the new Audiencly Merch and Onboarding Boxes for new employees.
What I appreciated most was how much trust everyone placed in me. I wasn’t treated like a typical intern who only gets the tasks no one else wants. People gave me responsibilities that they actually depended on, which made me feel like a real part of the team.
I loved how varied my tasks were and how much I got to see, try, and learn:
Oh, and I must not forget — I also assembled a cupboard.
I genuinely enjoyed every second of it. Naturally, I discovered certain areas that suited me more than others, and I was able to focus more deeply on those. It was truly a great experience.
There have honestly been so many different moments, tasks, and people that I couldn’t possibly name a single event or experience I liked the most. Overall, like I mentioned, I truly appreciated how everyone treated me like an actual employee, rather than an intern who wouldn’t be staying long anyway.
From day one, people explained what I had to do and how to do it, but then gave me the space to figure things out on my own. At the same time, they always offered helpful feedback whenever I needed it. I was surrounded by people who were more than willing to help no matter what, and no one ever made me feel uncomfortable when I asked for clarification or examples.
The support throughout my time was top tier, from the very beginning until my last day.
In general, the people and the atmosphere, both in the office and with those working remotely, were amazing. Everyone was incredibly welcoming and kind, which made the start so much easier. It genuinely felt like there was a family already in place that was open and happy to take someone new in.
And on that note, I really loved how diverse the team was. Not just in terms of ethnicity, but also thanks to Audiencly’s international reach, with so many languages and cultures in one place. I got to learn about food, traditions, and people from all over the world. One day, someone walks by speaking Mandarin. Next, you hear someone chatting in Kazakh. It all made the international aspect of the work feel even more real and exciting, while also giving me access to perspectives I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise.
I definitely learned a lot, and for that, I’m especially grateful.
Audiencly gave me a great understanding of how influencer marketing actually works. Before joining, I was drawn to the idea of an internship in this field, but I wasn't entirely sure about the day-to-day responsibilities.
During my time here, I saw the complexity of the work and the wide range of areas and responsibilities involved, not only in influencer marketing but also within a company in general.
It definitely helped me realize that sometimes the best results come when you share your work with others. It was exciting to see how in a company like Audiencly, there are specialists for every task. Which makes it much easier and more efficient to share responsibilities and focus on what you do best, rather than trying to handle everything on your own.
Another thing Audiencly taught me was how valuable it is to be open when approaching others. At Audiencly, you are actively encouraged to reach out and engage with others. Because of that, I ended up speaking to so many different people, often switching between German and English, and connecting with colleagues from all over the world. What felt unfamiliar at first quickly became part of everyday life.
And that definitely helped prepare me for future situations where I’ll meet and work with people from different backgrounds.
Overall, my time at Audiencly solidified my interest in the world of marketing, and I can definitely see myself pursuing a career in this field in the future, perhaps even at Audiencly again someday! 👀
It was a great experience, and I'm grateful for every moment. I'm excited about what the future holds and where my path will lead, or, more accurately, what I'll make of the opportunities that come my way.
In this last paragraph, I just want to mention and thank a few people who, among many other things, helped get me here, made my time more enjoyable, and will stay in my memories for a very long time.
First of all, thank you, Marvin, for remembering me and making this internship possible.
Thank you, Claudia, for being supportive from the first call where we met until the very last day, always helping me with any questions I had.
Thank you to Angelo and Lea, who guided me every step of the way and gave me the chance to explore their work. You never treated me like I was just an intern, but truly took the time to involve me in meaningful tasks.
Thank you, Sima, for an incredible time together. I loved spending the whole workday in Huddles with you, bouncing ideas back and forth on various projects.
Thank you to Vanessa and Mario, who gave me insights into how the company operates and showed me just how big of a project internal restructuring can be, with so many moving parts to manage.
Finally, thank you, Adrian, for trusting me with important work and for giving me this opportunity. I'll always be grateful for the experiences I gained.
And of course, thank you to everyone else I didn't mention here. You all made my time at Audiencly an absolute blast. I hope to see you all again, sooner or later. I wish you all the best and hope you achieve all your goals and aspirations.
Bye for now!
Jonathan
