Here at the Gillespie Group we have decided to see what our previous interns are doing these days. We want to know how interning with us has helped them on their career path. Today we caught up with Andrew Wiley.
Name: Andrew Wiley
School: Temple University’s School of Journalism Class of 2014
Internship Date: Summer of 2011
Describe Gillespie Group in one word: Class
Where are you working now?
- As a film producer with Transfixion Films, a Philadelphia based film company.
What made you switch to a new field?
- This new field, although not completely advertising, still has a lot to do with the ability to market our projects. It’s my job to hire talent, select locations, and most importantly, secure funding. I really love this field because it involves sales, marketing, advertising, and client management. So, yes, it’s kind of a new field, but has many aspects of marketing and advertising involved.
What is your favorite memory of GG?
- I always enjoyed the staff meetings. It allowed me to really watch everyone and gather as much info as I could on becoming a better marketer/advertiser.
How did your internship at GG compare to any other internship you had?
- GG was definitely the best internship I’ve had. Everyone at GG from Mike Sr. down to Mimi made me feel extremely welcomed from day one. There are some internships where senior staff members look down on the interns and turn them into a “Gofer”. At GG you’re involved in staff meetings and even asked your opinion on things. It really makes you feel like a part of the company.
What advice would you give to someone who is about to start their first internship?
- You really just need to go into your internship with the mindset to work your butt off for the duration. These people are leaders of business and you could be on their payroll one day. And even if you’re not on GG’s payroll, they know a lot of people in the industry who they could refer you to. Approach every single day as if you’re a full time employee and they’ll notice.
What was the most helpful or important thing you learned at GG?
- My first job was at a camera store where I developed quickly my talent of…camera sales. Mike Sr. made me realize that if you can sell one thing, you can absolutely sell anything else. After this realization, my confidence in sales as a whole grew immensely.
How has your experience at Gillespie helped you later in life?
In my current position as film producer, I use many aspects of the marketing and advertising field to accomplish the company goals. Working at GG allowed me to watch veteran advertisers and see different techniques and how to utilize them.
What’s your favorite commercial?
I saw this commercial for the first time this week, and it’s become my new favorite.