Are you ready to expand your network, sharpen your research skills, and uncover exciting new business opportunities? Check out internships in Madrid!
Madrid is the vibrant capital of Spain and the heartbeat of its business scene. For students and young professionals seeking an edge, internships in Madrid provide the unique opportunity to have an adventure, linking both personal and professional growth.
Read on to discover how Foster embraced the challenges of living and working abroad, transforming uncertainty into strength, and honing essential skills along the way.
Hi Foster! Tell us, how did you find your first week in Madrid?
My first week in Madrid came with ups and downs. Traveling for my internship was the first time I had ever been away from my parents for an extended period of time. Prior to my arrival I had been in Portugal surfing with my Dad and from there, he drove me to Madrid to start my internship. Saying goodbye to him at that moment brought on a lot of emotions, but also a lot of excitement for the freedom and independence I was about to gain!
I also felt nervous joining a completely foreign work environment. It took me a while to stop thinking I would struggle with every task assigned to me and instead look at them with excitement and a way for me to learn and benefit. I also expected it would take a lot longer to find and make friends, but after just a few days, I had already made a solid friend group with people I’d met!
What kind of tasks were you involved with through your internship?
My Business Development internship in Madrid was hosted through a small startup that provides solutions to, and eliminates, the environmental impacts that wind farms have on the environment.
My role as an intern was essentially to assist in the management of the digital marketing aspect of the company, creating marketing plans, a new website plan with heading tags optimized for SEO and building out social media platforms. My role was designed to bring greater brand awareness by reaching targeted audiences and having a presentable website that is professional with a clear message.
How did this internship contribute toward your long-term goals?
I seek adventure and change in my life and feel stagnant and bored if I’m not switching it up and challenging myself! My internship has forced me to grow and learn faster than ever I thought possible.
More than anything, my internship experience taught me to get comfortable with the uncomfortable and enhance my critical thinking and problem solving skills. Not only was I learning valuable things about digital marketing, but getting used to a business environment and learning to thrive.
My long-term career goal is to become a successful entrepreneur and everything I learned while in Madrid is pushing me towards this goal. Growing my knowledge of web development, social media ad campaigns and marketing in general is all a very important part of starting a business.
How did an internship abroad increase your adaptability?
During my time in Spain I learnt about the importance of adapting to the environment around me and being observant. One example is that many tourists assume that most Spanish locals speak English. Because of this, they make no attempt to learn or speak the native language. Although the language barrier can be intimidating at times, I learnt to do my best to speak the native language (even if I ended up speaking gibberish!). Locals really appreciated it and were very welcoming when I did (even if I wasn’t the best!).
This also applies to being very open and interested in local customs and traditions. Other examples include adapting to local schedules around meal times and adapting to businesses closing in the afternoons for the siesta period. This has taught me to be more open to new ways of living and learning the language no matter how intimidating it can be at times.
In what ways do you feel more empowered to be successful in your field?
I feel more empowered and knowledgeable in my field in every way having completed my internship in Spain. I have learned so much about marketing and the ins and outs of running a business. Not only has it empowered me, but it has also started to pave the path to my dream of becoming a business owner, fueling me with excitement and purpose.
The internship environment has allowed me to fully express myself in a professional environment and learn more than I ever thought possible in such a short period of time. I am also so much more motivated to travel and see the world, apply for another internship in Australia and schools in Europe next year.
Finally, what advice would you give to others who are considering an internship abroad?
My advice would be to open yourself up to new experiences, be willing to learn, try not to get too set in your own ways and understand that there are different ways of doing things. Try not to put too much stress on yourself, overthink or look at situations negatively. Remember that you are in a new environment and as such, should be respectful and open to everything you experience.
Ready to get started with your own internship experience?
Our step-by-step guide on how it works provides you with more information on how to get started. The process is user friendly - just submit your application to begin. It doesn’t cost anything to apply and won’t take more than 5 minutes. However, your formal expression of interest provides the foundation for us to help you take the next steps.