My Recipe for Internship Success

I won’t lie, it is difficult to put into words the impact of my internship at Cline Design. When I first met Lorraine, Corinne, and Meredith at the University of New Hampshire Career Fair, I never imagined that interaction turning into the opportunity and experience I’ve had.

I have learned so much and I’ve had a blast doing it. My internship happened at the perfect time. A time where the company, celebrating 30 years in business, was looking to learn, grow, and refresh.

It was exciting to be a part of the action, to be included in team decisions and meetings, and to watch the company evolve and expand. There is no question that this family business is an absolute powerhouse. It isn’t everyday that you can secure an internship like this before even starting your sophomore year of college. With this in mind, I created my recipe for internship success—the top four aspects that contributed to my success at Cline Design:

1. Education

Cline Design, a HubSpot Partner as well as a Google Partner, puts great emphasis on continuing education. Because of these partnerships, I had easy access to industry leading trainings and certifications through HubSpot Academy, HubSpot’s digital learning center and Google Academy. The marketing landscape changes so rapidly, it is vital to stay on top of the newest trends and techniques. It was my personal goal to earn at least one certification a week.

With this goal in mind I was able to complete 13 certifications by the end of my internship. Along the way I found that many of my certifications were directly applicable to the projects I was working on for Cline Design. From Inbound Marketing and Sales Enablement to Client Management and Google Ads all of the certifications I earned are guaranteed to help me in the future.

2. A Great Team

Working for a family business is awesome. Each team member brings such a unique quality to the table that made working for Cline Design so rewarding. Lorraine, who founded Cline Design 30 years ago, has a wealth of knowledge. She genuinely cares about each client and makes it her duty to make sure each and every one receives the absolute best of what she has to offer. She taught me the importance of being compassionate and that a successful business happens because you care.

Don is a technology master. Whether it is a computer, printer, or web problem, he knows how to fix it. He shared many valuable stories and life lessons that I will always remember.

Corinne has such a contagious energy that is always great to be around. She works with purpose and always seems to be successful at it. She taught me the importance of communication with clients and being prepared.

Meredith was my mentor throughout the summer. I enjoyed working beside her and I am grateful for her willingness to always answer my questions. She taught me the ropes of the business and proved you can have fun while at work.

Brianna, who started at Cline Design roughly the same time as me, is a graphic design queen. She dedicates much of her time to making sure each project meets the highest standards. It was awesome to learn about graphic design from someone with such passion and skill.

It was always exciting to be in an environment of caring coworkers. Each member of the team helped make my internship experience the absolute best and for that I am forever grateful.

3. 20-Minute Work Weeks

In addition to Cline Design’s partnerships with HubSpot and Google, we also work on an amazing platform called WordStream. Cline Design uses WordStream to manage and maneuver Google Ads for their clients, maximizing their paid advertising budget and delivering qualified traffic and leads. WordStream and Cline Design have had a fantastic relationship for the last few years with a strong focus on education and improvement. I was eager to learn about WordStream, specifically how to maximize clients’ paid advertising investments. This was when I learned about WordStream’s innovative 20-Minute Work Week.

Each Monday, Meredith and I would sit down and check our clients’ bids and budget, approve negative keywords, optimize text, and review performance of the previous week’s changes. I enjoyed this structured, step-by-step process because it helped bring my Google Ads certifications to life and allowed me to see the direct outcome of our marketing strategy efforts. WordStream is an incredible platform that is easy to learn from and is a never ending resource for new market trends and improvements happening in the world of Google Ads.

4. Barrett from HubSpot

Barrett King is our Senior Channel Account Manager and Growth Strategist from HubSpot. He is Cline Design’s primary resource at HubSpot and serves as a constant sounding board for the company’s ideas and goals. I met Barrett the day he came into the office for a strategy meeting. Barrett’s passion for Cline Design’s success is palpable. It was clear the second he walked through the door. He immediately took the time to get to know me and figure out what he could do to make the best of my experience at Cline Design and help me succeed during my remaining years at the University of New Hampshire. His advice for me, and for others interested in pursuing digital marketing, was to take advantage of the HubSpot courses and certifications, as they will prove to be helpful throughout life. Barrett came in at the perfect time to push every team members’ progress and continue growing Cline Design.

I am thankful to have met Barrett and see the enthusiastic way he works. There is no question that Barrett is one of the best HubSpot representatives Cline Design could have. After meeting Barrett, it became even clearer to me why Cline Design chose to work with the HubSpot platform for the last 10 years. It really is the best tool.

This summer internship was everything I hoped for and so much more. I am eternally grateful to Lorraine for giving me this opportunity. I encourage current and future college students alike to challenge themselves and reach for the internship they really truly want. All it takes is one moment of courage to introduce yourself—to make a connection. You never know what will come of it. And to my fellow UNH Wildcats, you could be one of the lucky ones that gets to intern at Cline Design and gain experience that lasts a lifetime.