Audrey McMillan

Responsibilities

My main responsibilities were to assist the Marketplace Insights and Advanced Analytics teams with their projects and tasks, complete a set of training activities, collaborate on a group project with other interns, and conduct an individual research project. The Marketplace Insights team consists of various subgroups that focus on supporting a variety of teams, including Marketing, Merchandising, and Design, by doing quantitative and qualitative research that informs major company decisions. I supported them by helping with BDA summary presentations that focus on analyzing the success of marketing types by country and through conducting data validations.

Accomplishments

My greatest accomplishment during my internship was my individual project. It allowed me to take all of the skills I learned throughout the course of my training and put them into action. My project was focused around conducting research and recommending key markets for incremental marketing investment. I was able to provide insights that will aid all of the Marketplace Insights teams moving forward, so all of the hard work that I put in is very rewarding.

Learning experience

The greatest lessons I learned from my experience are that you always have room to grow and expand your knowledge and that it is crucial to always put learning at the forefront of your internship. Every company and every role is so different, so understanding how teams work cross-functionally and what opportunities are out there, helps in shaping your career goals. This internship challenged me greatly and pushed me to rethink what my options are and what I’m truly passionate about.

What advice would you give?

My advice for future AMD students is to not feel like you have to stick to either a design or merchandising route. I encourage everyone to broaden their horizons and gain any experience where you get it, even if it doesn’t seem conventional. Two years ago, I never would’ve thought that both of my college internships would be research-driven, but here I am – and I’ve loved both experiences. Being adaptive within different working roles, being curious and staying open-minded are some of the greatest skills that an intern can possess.