Soft Skills and Hard Lessons: FUTURE NOW Interns Reflect on Their Experiences
A few months ago, I had no idea what my career in media and entertainment could look like. Today, I feel confident I can succeed in the industry because of my work as a Writing and Research Intern for The NOW, FUTURE NOW’s newsletter. I have edited articles and written my own, and I’ve learned about the diversity of roles in media and about myself and my capabilities.
Kaileen So and Cate Stetson, fellow Research and Writing Interns, highlighted similar growth when reflecting on their own internship experiences. Stetson described a huge perspective shift after attending this year’s FUTURE NOW Media & Entertainment Conference.
“In speaking with professionals and aspiring students, I began to realize how many jobs exist that I couldn’t have even guessed existed, but that brought me so much inspiration for my own future,” she shared.
Her work with The NOW also inspired greater curiosity. “My favorite task was writing the Leadership Talks articles for The NOW,” she said. “I appreciated the chance not only to listen to these conversations, but also [to] think deeply about them and to find throughlines and the points of importance that drive the speaker.”
Kaileen So worked on a team researching, analyzing, and drafting a post-conference report, which challenged her as a writer and storyteller. “Through creating the Post-Conference Report, I got a much better sense of how important data storytelling is, as I had to take a large volume of numbers and responses and figure out how to not only present it accurately, but also in a way that’s digestible,” she said.
Most of the data she analyzed was about conference attendees, like demographic data, and whether it was someone’s first time attending. She also updated and analyzed information about FUTURE NOW alumni, tracking their current line of work and whether they are still pursuing a career in the industry.
So shared, “This internship was particularly valuable as it not only helped me hone hard skills in data collection and analysis, but also shaped how I want to approach relationships and career exploration going forward.”
The conference showed all of us how important it is to build relationships, but it was the actual work we did as interns with FUTURE NOW in the weeks that followed that gave us the ability to practice that skill.
Jackie Zhang, a Video Production Intern, reflected on how her work with FUTURE NOW differed from previous video production experience she had, both in class and the Purple Valley Productions (PVP) Club at Williams College.
“In PVP, it’s less formalized,” she said. The student-led productions contrasted greatly with the work she did with FUTURE NOW. “For these interviews [for FUTURE NOW], we all had very specific roles and structure.
She elaborated on her favorite parts of her work with FUTURE NOW. “I really enjoyed working in-person on set, and I also really enjoyed editing the sizzle reel and shorts for social media.” Her work for FUTURE NOW showed her that she genuinely enjoys video production and reaffirmed her career aspirations.
“Outside of FUTURE NOW, I primarily work in fiction and narrative filmmaking,” Zhang said. But through her internship experience with FUTURE NOW, she has come to appreciate documentary, nonfiction, and unscripted storytelling formats.
Ashley Khosla, a Social Media and Marketing Intern, said that much of her work involved working with a team to publicize and create media buzz around FUTURE NOW events and programs.
“I collaborated with other interns on brainstorming ideas, designed graphics in Canva, and learned how social media can be used strategically to engage students and build excitement around events,” she said, and this experience helped her become better at creating content with a target audience in mind.
“Now I have a much greater appreciation for the strategy, creativity, and teamwork behind successful marketing campaigns,” she said. “I became more confident in my ability to create content that was both engaging and meaningful.”
Justine Dunaway, another Social Media and Marketing Intern, revealed that her work at FUTURE NOW made her realize how important relationship building is to success. “In the past, I felt nervous to have these networking conversations because of my fear of coming off as insincere and selfish and only concerned about getting myself a job,” she said. But speaking to enthusiastic and understanding mentors at the conference and during her internship changed her perspective on building professional relationships.
“FUTURE NOW made me realize my network is my most valuable tool in my career journey,” she said.
While a fair amount of my work was done asynchronously, I benefitted greatly from team meetings and collaboration on writing pieces. Some interns realized that they worked much better when they had a team.
Video Production Intern Darren Guo shared, “I realized I really really really function best (almost necessary for me) in a work environment where I am constantly interacting and collaborating with others….My ideal kind of career will not only involve something that interests me, but also a whole lot of teamwork and socialness.”
Many interns gained greater clarity about the kind of work they want to pursue and the type of workplace where they can thrive.
Leo Gantcher spoke about the confidence he’s gained through his FUTURE NOW experience as a Podcast Intern. “I’ve also learned a lot of soft skills, such as interviewing, networking, and how to bring an authentic but professional self to situations,” he explained.
Gantcher described discovering a new passion for conducting interviews when he assisted the FUTURE NOW production team on video shoots over the summer. “I didn’t know I would enjoy interviewing, but now I think finding a career where I get to have conversations with people in that way, helping them tell their stories and share their ideas, would be very meaningful to me,” he said.
The interns I spoke with gained far more than a line on their résumés or a new set of professional skills. They built meaningful relationships with peers and industry professionals, developed greater confidence navigating the workplace, and gained a clearer sense of where their interests, strengths, and career goals might lead them.
That’s true of my experience, too. As a rising sophomore in college with limited work experience, the conference and in-person volunteer opportunities that followed gave me a much clearer understanding of how to handle myself professionally and carry myself with confidence. I not only learned about the industry; I learned more about myself—my strengths, where I want to grow, what kind of work I like to do, and who I would like to be.
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