Laura | Fashion Internship at Absolute Internship

Laura C.

Fashion InternshipAbsolute Internship|BarcelonaBarcelona

Now Enrollment Coordinator at Absolute Internship

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Internship

FashionUnited StatesUnited States

Currently

Enrollment CoordinatorAbsolute Internship

Hi, I'm Laura! My internship in Barcelona gave me invaluable experience in fashion marketing and allowed me to work one-on-one with an incredible independent designer. I learned so much about myself and my passions, and now I am living in Barcelona full time with a Masters in Fashion Business!

Laura is a former student and verified Absolute Internship ambassador

Why Laura chose this path

“I always knew that I wanted to take advantage of a study abroad program, but being able to get real-world experience that built on my coursework and played into my interests was a win-win.”

How I got in

I was in between Spain and Stockholm, and after talking with friends and family that had traveled to both, I decided Spain made more sense; I know the language and it's very similar (in my eyes) to California where I'm from. During my initial interview, my EC helped me pick between Barcelona and Madrid based on the kind of experience I was looking for, and the types of companies she knew were in each city.

Top tips for getting accepted

You will get out of this time what you put into it, so make the most of everything. No matter how small your responsibilities may be, you are gaining invaluable, global experience that most people will never get. Lean into it, get curious about your host company, ask for more responsibility. If you commit yourself to the experience fully, you will come out of it with new skills and a much more developed view of the industry you want to pursue. The same goes for outside of the internship. Immerse yourself in the local culture! Go to museums, learn about the history, visit local spots, and try to see how the locals live. Especially in Barcelona, the culture is so unique and there are always local holidays and festivals to celebrate. The more you see of your city, the deeper your connection to it will be.

Common mistakes to avoid

Traveled around Spain more! I got to see some amazing places on the weekends, but there are so many other incredible cities just a train ride away. Take advantage of where you are and go visit all the cities around you on the weekends.

What Laura wishes they knew

Things I wish I knew before starting

Even though it's not required, having some knowledge of the local language is so useful!

The hardest part

You get homesick! It's hard to miss out on experiences and traditions that you're used to doing every year, and it's difficult seeing everyone in your life continuing while you're away. I always tried to remind myself that this experience was temporary; I would get to do all those traditions again when I was home, but I may never have another opportunity to live life in Barcelona. When you go back home you will miss so many things about your life abroad.

The best decision I made

Make a routine! It is so easy to get caught up in wanting to make the most of being abroad, and feeling guilty for not doing something all the time. In reality, this mindset can be super overwhelming and lead to burnout very fast. At the end of the day, you're living a normal life while abroad, and creating a normal routine with work, eating, working out, etc will give you more stability. That being said, it's also easy to get stuck in a routine, so I would try to plan at least one way to get out and see the city each afternoon. Whether that's trying a new coffee shop or reading at a park for a little bit. These are little ways to feel like you're still experiencing your city and making the most of your time, even during a work day.

What it's actually like

A typical day

I would wake up and have breakfast at the student residence before starting the work day on a call with my manager. After going over tasks and progress for the week, I would typically work on some email marketing campaigns, as well as more research-based projects like competitor analysis and trend forecasting. I would meet up with friends to eat lunch at the residence, and then head out to find a new coffee shop to work from. After finishing up my work for the afternoon, I would typically head to a park to read, or meet up with friends to shop and walk around the center.

Topics Laura can help with

Interview PrepApplication TipsIndustry SkillsRemote WorkingInternational OpportunitiesDay-to-Day LifeWorkplace CultureWork-Life Balance

Questions students ask Laura

What does a typical day in your internship actually look like?
A typical day for me was a pretty even mix of marketing/CRM tasks, and larger projects. I was in charge of planning, creating and scheduling our email marketing communications, so almost daily I would work on any new campaigns, editing the marketing and promotional calendar, and testing content. I would also conduct lead generation and outreach, looking for new stores to carry our products and collecting information on possible new contacts. My supervisor and I would have check-in meetings every Monday and Wednesday where he would assign me extra projects as well. Some days I would perform market research, seeing how our competitors were advertising, what kind of promotions they ran, and what features their websites had that we may be able to implement as well. I also helped style and plan any photoshoots we had. In those weeks, I would create moodboards, look for inspiration for different poses and shots we could do, and style the models with different looks. Once the inspiration was created and outfits were planned, I would meet with the team to shop for all the pieces we needed.
How did you land your internship - what did the application process involve?
In my first call with my Enrollment Coordinator, we discussed my studies and career goals, as well as what locations I was interested in. She helped me decide on Barcelona, and after going back and forth between marketing and fashion, she decided fashion would give me better experience if that's the field I wanted to go into. After that interview, I received my official acceptance and began working on my CV and other prep materials to be sent out to perspective companies. When my Placement Coordinator had an interview ready for me, she sent me an email with the company name and description, as well as some information on what they are looking for. It was important to me to go into the interview knowing about the company and their current business, so I took time to research them, as well as the Founder that I would be speaking with. In the interview, he asked me about my studies, what classes I've taken and what skills they've given me. He told me what they were looking for in an intern, and that they specifically wanted someone that was interested in the analytical/business side of fashion. I was able to speak on my interests, my work style, and my experience in class projects that made me a great fit for exactly what they were looking for!
What skills do you wish you had before starting that you'd tell others to prepare?
I think having a basic knowledge of the local language is important. While it's not needed for the internship, it will make you feel so much more comfortable in your city. It's easy to feel like an outsider in a new city and a different culture, but being able to get around on your own and speak with people on the street or in the local coffee shop will help you feel so much more comfortable and included.

Ready to ask Laura a question?

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