What is it like interning at OpenAgent?

Meet Luka, he's been working at OpenAgent for the past 6 months as a Content Marketing Intern. We sat down with Luka to get his first hand experience about what it's like to be an intern at OpenAgent.

What have you learnt whilst interning at OpenAgent?

I've learnt so much interning at OpenAgent. There's so much going on here that all you have to do is have a chat with someone new and say, "How's your day going, what do you do again?"

It's a big office. There are a lot of people and a lot of different roles, but it all makes interning a rich experience to be exposed to an environment like this.

OpenAgent has definitely shown me the benefits of working at a startup. It's one big collaborative experience.

Everyone has their part to play, and the biggest thing I have learnt is how everyone's roles fit together and intertwine to complete projects. 

Working in an office, is like a big ants nest. Everyone has different roles and different things to do - Engineers, UX, Designers, Product Managers, Marketers and Data to name a few. But overall, everyone at OpenAgent is working towards the same goal; for our customers to have the best possible experience in their real estate journey.

Do you have to have a professional experience when applying for a position?

Before applying for this position I had done a lot of different internships. I was fresh out of graduating uni, and completed previous internships at newsrooms for a magazine, some recording studios and worked in a content and event management position.

These were all good experiences, however, I felt as though I was just skimming the surface when it came to content. I was also frustrated with the difficulty of landing a full-time position in media, so I was really keen to undertake an opportunity in content at OpenAgent and immerse myself in it.

After finishing uni last year, I was telemarketing for a publishing company and beginning another internship at a magazine in more of an editorial style role, but I jumped at this position to really hone my digital skills in more of a marketing and growth orientated team.

I completed an over the phone interview with the Content Marketing Lead. I talked to her about my previous internships and experiences.

If I could offer a piece of advice to an intern it would be to make whoever is conducting the interview laugh. Say something witty and it'll score you kudos points.

Getting this internship opportunity, I felt as though this was my next big step and an awesome environment to gain vital skills for my career development.

What type of work are you doing at OpenAgent?

My role mostly focuses on copywriting - all different types. SEO snippets, product copy, landing pages, but also content pieces focused on either an SEO draw or as part of an engaging email campaign.

I've also been given the opportunity to write more editorial focused pieces, which don't have a direct marketing pull and tend to take a little longer. Nonetheless, I really appreciate the freedom I'm given in terms of topics which have had some great results on the OpenAgent blog.

How do you go about learning the in's and out's of marketing?

I've had a basic understanding of marketing terminology from previous internships and at uni. This role really focuses on content marketing in a way I've never experienced before. It has been awesome learning about Google Analytics and understanding SEO.  

Learning about the in-house CMS software 'JanPress', which has been helpful, has given me a different perspective on the standard WordPress software that most companies use. It's like an alternative angle to achieve the same goals, and the process of learning has really ingrained all the SEO bits and pieces for me.

Why does asking questions help a lot?

You should never be afraid to ask questions! Even if you think you should know it or you think you'll sound dumb. People forget, that's life and you need to hear things over and over before it becomes second nature. I've been so lucky that the Content Marketing Lead here has been really patient with me and really mentoring me, pushing me to grow and develop in the role.

Do you still have deadlines as an intern?

Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines, they make everyone cringe. My favourite cup in the team kitchen says "Deadlines are cute, they make me laugh".

That's not really quite how I see them, but it's pretty good here. We keep tabs on everything to ensure we are meeting deadlines and working towards goals. Nothing gets forgotten and every day is planned. There are regular meetings to make sure everyone knows what they are doing day-to-day.

We work to quarterly goals and we plan in months to make that happen, and week-by-week we keep tabs on everything. But it's not set in stone, that's the nature of a startup, you never know what's going to happen day-to-day, so it's fine if things get shuffled around.

How do you get outside your comfort zone to learn more?

As an intern, you get cut a fair bit of slack. People also want you to learn different things, so put your hand up!

If you think you can help with a project and you'll learn something, then do it! Need an example? I've taken time out of my schedule to help out the Community Manager and write this article - it's a piece that I wouldn't normally do.

What's it like being an intern, speaking up to everyone else in the team?

OpenAgent has a No BS policy, that's "No Bullshit," in case you were wondering (yeah no worries).

That means that everyone is encouraged to speak up, even if it's your first day on the job. You're encouraged to be straight-up with people. It's just how things get done and how we learn together.

It's a better collaborative effort if everyone voices how they feel, even if their opinions aren't the same. Reaching a compromise or using both views to find the best solutions to problems is often the way we work. It's also about having learning experiences and getting better at your job. What if you were doing something wrong for awhile and never knew?

Someone is there to speak up and be straight up.

How do you go about asking for feedback?

As said I above, if you need help, shout out and ask for feedback - people are always happy to help. You need people to critique your content, it's the only way to improve. One of the problems with my first internship was that they didn't expect a lot and didn't give a lot of feedback.

At OpenAgent, it's not like that. Of course you learn through practice, but you're going to learn a lot quicker if you're implementing the feedback that's been given and ticking a new set of boxes with every project.

What software programs have you been exposed to to help you improve your content?

One of my biggest issues was trying to get through the workload too fast, and not taking enough time to edit it. I've downloaded Grammarly which has helped, but also gives you the time to look over your work. Since coming to OpenAgent and using Grammarly I'm more precise with my work and improving every day.

Buzzsumo, Google Analytics and Vero (Email Marketing Platform) are some other types of software that I've dabbled with. AWR is a tracking and ranking tool we also use. It helps us keep tabs on the best ranking for certain content and queries that are reviewed each quarter.

If we see important rankings dropping, we know what to prioritise, update or create content for. Nonetheless, the AWR tool has really made me understand analytics and marketing and how to improve visibility on the internet.

What does OpenAgent look for in an intern?

At OpenAgent we look for curiosity, hustle and creative thinking. We are looking for fresh ideas and those adaptable to change - as we pivot quickly there are always new and exciting things in the works followed up by deadlines. At OpenAgent we are open to collaboration, learning and growth. If you despise working in groups and a fast paced environment, this probably isn't the place for you.

Most importantly, as an intern you need to be receptive to feedback. Taking the opportunity to help understand and translate feedback into your own self-development and learning is vital. It helps you set expectations and progress for developing your writing skills and for future content creation.

Working at OpenAgent gave me the stepping stone to shape my career and align what I really want to focus on in content and marketing.

If you're keen to see for yourself what it's like on the inside at OpenAgent, have a look at our careers page to see open roles.