Internship Spotlight: Ashma Jivani

Ashma Jivani

Ashma Jivani, from Lawrenceville, is a May 2012 graduate with a Master of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communications with a concentration in advertising. 

Where do you work and what are your responsibilities? I am currently interning at BBDO Atlanta. As an account management intern, I assist in managing the agency’s largest account here –- AT and T. With six separate ongoing teams, I am assisting a regional team for AT&T where we handle all of AT&T’s print, TV, radio, out-of-home, social media and digital advertising running in the West region of the United States. My responsibilities include creating traffic instructions for production of the above mentioned advertising, conducting weekly competitive and industry analyses, assisting in status
updates, and mainly helping to organize the work flow of the team.

What valuable information or skills have you learned thus far at your internship? The most important thing I've learned is that there is no such thing as a small or a big task. In this fast-paced industry, every piece of work counts. Even the most tedious of tasks need to be performed accurately and on-time for the final outcome to be put out in front of the world. Another thing is detailing. Account management requires a keen eye for detail and organization because it is very easy to go astray in the overflow of information that streams in on a minute-by-minute basis. On a personal level, I learned that taking initiative in your work elevates the responsible side in your personality and helps you gain a better understanding and appreciation of your work. The craving to learn also enhances your experience and ignites the fire even more as the learning process progresses.

What part of your Grady experience (classes, professors, etc.) has been helpful in your internship? All of my media and advertising courses really helped shape my understanding of the field and thus helped me grasp the hands-on job experience better. With guidance from professors like Dr. King (Media Planning) and Dr. Hollifield (Media Management), my interest in the field rose tremendously even before becoming a part of this outstanding agency. Throughout my work life here at BBDO, I see myself remembering their wise suggestions and opinions and implementing them into my work ethics.

I loved the seminar-type organization of every single class I took where lectures turned into striking debates that taught you more than a one-way interaction would.

What has been the best part of your internship experience? My favorite parts at BBDO have been the “work” and the “people” –- two important things that can
make work feel like play. Experiencing this creative world of advertising has been nothing but inspiring and energizing. We are constantly updated on what is going on in the industry: we get to see some of the best works of the most creative minds in the world; we get a chance to get inspired and produce creativity in our own work; and lastly, we see the positive impact the industry has on the overall good of society. The people here at BBDO are great to work with. They are friendly, helping, fun, inviting, and most of all inspiringly hard-working. The amount of time they spend at their job has no limits because they strive to go above and beyond the client’s expectations.

Now that you're a recent alumna, what was your favorite Grady memory? I absolutely loved spending time with my fellow classmates. The fact that our graduate class was so
small, it made relationship-building more special. Everybody helped each other out and there was no race to be at the top. I also loved the seminar-type organization of every single class I took where lectures turned into striking debates that taught you more than a one-way interaction would.

What are your career goals? I definitely want to go further in the advertising field. I love working here at BBDO and hope to work here in the future (or another large Advertising agency) in account management and creative.