INTERN SPOTLIGHT: MADELINE TAYLOR
Everybody starts from somewhere. At irlabs, an important part of our values is helping students and new graduates find their way into the competitive workforce and build skills that will help them to thrive and influence their local economies. A high-quality internship should offer support to grow and contribute, as well as challenging projects that empower interns to apply their skills and create impact.
Madeline Taylor is a 4th-year student at Simon Fraser University completing her BA in Communications in Vancouver, BC. She has over six years of experience working in the hospitality industry and is known for being optimistic, sociable, creative and up to date on the latest media trends. After many months as our Marketing & Communications Analyst Intern, we’ve invited Madeline to share insights on what she learned, accomplishments she’s proud of and advice for those interested in becoming an intern!
What have you been focusing on at irlabs?
Through my time with irlabs, I have been focusing on communications and media relations projects with the Marketing and Communications team. I have written blog content, supported our webinars, conducted research and created social media strategies for irlabs and irlabs’ clients. I’ve been working closely with our Director of Marketing & Communications, Paige Strand, and alongside our Media Relations Manager, Fatema Bhabrawala. I’ve assisted with media monitoring, finding current trends for our clients with media mapping and researching media outlets for us to pitch to.
What has working with the MarCom team been like?
The transition from being a university student to working in such a dynamic and fast-paced environment was challenging at times, but I was given a massive amount of support from everyone on the team. The entire experience was so exciting, most areas of the work I was doing I wasn’t entirely familiar with, but I was able to carry out my tasks while learning and evaluating my growth during the whole process. Everyone on the team carries themselves in such a wonderful way and were there to answer my questions and support me. One aspect that resonated through my journey here was how well everyone communicates and supports each other. There was never a right or wrong answer, and I was never made to feel less than others even though I was working alongside team members who have been in the industry for years. This was a very positive work environment for me to build my skills!
How has your internship at irlabs facilitated your growth and development?
Outside of expanding my abilities in research and writing, I learned a lot of skills that could only be harnessed through working in a quick-moving environment like irlabs. I gained confidence in creating meaningful professional connections, how to craft an email, how to build a webinar, how to navigate media monitoring and project management platforms. I also expanded my skills related to effective communication, which I look forward to building in my career.
Did anything surprise you during your first few months here?
Interning for irlabs’ was my first experience in the business world, so I was feeling very nervous about what to expect. Even though I’m majoring in communications, I did have some worries about how I would handle the tasks I would be given, as it was such a new space for me. What surprised me the most was how fast I felt integrated into the team. Everything moved very fast in my first couple of weeks and at every moment, I was always checked on and made sure that I was adjusting well. After my first week, I already felt like a team member, which I never thought would’ve happened so fast.
Tell us about a project you are proud of and the impact it had on yourself or irlabs.
A lot of the work I have done at irlabs was ESG-related. As I’ve always had a strong interest in sustainability, my interest grew substantially over my internship. I was taught in depth what ESG is and the importance of incorporating these practices into a company. I’m very proud of the blog content I created around this and how strongly I feel about this now. For the first time in my life, I feel confident in where I would like to take my future career and I know that this would be with a company whose main priorities are ESG-focused.
In reflecting, are there any career or communications takeaways that have stuck with you?
Some takeaways after working with irlabs that I have learnt is that I don’t need to put myself into a box when it comes to choosing my future career. This internship allowed me to work alongside different team members and see the ins and outs of what their jobs entail. I feel that so many university students feel pressure after graduating with what career they will choose and the fear of that job not working out. If something doesn’t work out, that’s okay! Try different jobs and positions until you find what works for you, and remember that you are not alone with these feelings of uncertainty.
Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to future students and interns?
My piece of advice for future students and interns is to network as much as possible. Build meaningful connections with your team members, as they’ll improve your experience and might be able to help further your career in the future. For future students, my biggest piece of advice is to take part in an internship. The skills and knowledge I have learnt over the past few months will set me forward in my future career. Internships are so important in gaining industry knowledge that we can’t always grasp in school. It has also built my confidence and made me believe in myself far more than I did in the past.
Working for irlabs has truly been an amazing experience that I will remember forever. This was the beginning of my career, and I had the privilege of working alongside their wonderful MarCom team. I can’t wait for what the future brings me and what the future entails for irlabs!
Madeline is now off to finish her final semester at Simon Fraser University and all of us at irlabs wish her well! Want to intern or work with us? Keep an eye on our job postings for the latest roles as they become available or proactively send your resume, cover letter and job you’d be looking for to happyinvestors@irlabs.ca.
