Interning in New York City During the Summer
By Ela Rybak
This summer was an absolute whirlwind. Like many others can attest to, the process of obtaining an internship and then moving to a new city to work for three months can be extremely exciting but also nervewracking. Transitioning from applying for my L’Oréal internship to studying abroad in Milan last spring to moving straight to New York City for my internship was a hectic experience, especially as an LA native, but it was definitely manageable and enjoyable!
I was thankful to secure my marketing internship with L’Oréal in October before leaving for study abroad. The journey to my internship started six months before I applied, as I built valuable connections with L’Oréal community members. By the time I submitted my application, I had already made a strong impression. I then attended the career fair, eagerly awaiting news from recruiters. After a month of anticipation, I was thrilled to receive an invitation to a virtual interview event. Despite my nerves about interviewing for my dream internship, I took full advantage of various USC Career Center resources to hone my interview skills. My efforts culminated in the exciting offer from L’Oréal, landing me at none other than their New York City headquarters!
As the end of May approached and I wrapped up my five-month study abroad in Milan, I began preparing for my upcoming internship. A key part of this preparation was packing a versatile wardrobe that included everything from casual to formal attire, all designed to handle the summer heat in a new city. When I arrived, I moved in with my boyfriend and his family in New Jersey, just a quick hour-long train ride away from the city.. Before I knew it, the first day of my internship had arrived, and I was off to the city, excited to meet my fellow interns and the team.
My L’Oreal internship flew by. One moment I was meeting interns at volunteer day or by exploring the office, and the next, I was heading out to happy hour with them. Summer internships are similar to college when it comes to making friends; most people do not know anyone else which means that everyone is looking to meet new people and connect! My fellow interns helped make my summer experience so amazing.
In addition to these fantastic connections, I also had the opportunity to work with an incredible marketing team at L’Oréal’s Redken brand, where I networked with everyone. My manager, the senior manager, and the rest of the team were all so supportive, ensuring I was always engaged in new projects, from media strategizing to preparing holiday kits for Ulta. They were especially helpful when it came to my summer project, which consisted of a go-to-market launch strategy for a Redken product debuting in January of 2025. They guided me through my research and conducted numerous mock presentations to prepare me for presenting to senior management and HR.
As my internship drew to a close and I prepared to return to LA, I was sad but also so proud of myself and the work I had put forth. Two weeks after starting school again this semester, I received an email that felt like a perfect reward for all my hard work this summer: L’Oréal offered me a position as a Marketing Management Trainee to start after I graduate in May 2025. Even though moving to a new city for an internship can be overwhelming, it's important to fully commit to your role and build a support network. At the end of the day, you should be proud of everything that got you to this point!
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