Other agencies might call it an internship program,
but we offer and expect more.
Specialist Program
From the start, our interns – who we call specialists – have been an integral part of Online Optimism.
They work 20 – 30 hours per week collaborating with our full-time employees, working for both our clients and Online Optimism itself. In return, we make sure they receive valuable, real-world experience, hourly pay, and the opportunity to team up with the best and brightest in the city.
Our Specialists work under one of our four directors:
Social Media
- Craft Social Media Calendars
- Grow Instagram Engagement
- Analyze Paid Social Advertising
- Work Across Industries & Networks
Content / SEO
- Write Blog Posts for Clients
- Optimize Content for Search Engines
- Generate Link-Building Strategies
- Assist on SEO Audits
Digital Ads / SEM
- Monitor Paid Search Campaigns
- Review Bid Management Strategies
- A/B Test Campaign Content
- Competitive PPC Research
Digital Design
- Craft Graphics for Multiple Platforms
- Follow Varied Brand Guidelines
- Utilize Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, AfterEffects, and WordPress
Real Work, Real Experience
This opportunity isn’t about getting your boss coffee–we have a Keurig (and french press and espresso machine) for that. You’ll spend your time here working on real assignments and projects, participating in client meetings, and teaming up with full-time members as well as working independently. As one of our specialists, you’ll leave us with a complete portfolio of work as well as a killer answer when you’re asked to talk about a time you proved yourself in your next interview.
An Optimistic Culture
Our company aims to keep our staff happy and facilitate their work any way we can, which is why we provide you with top-of-the-line office equipment, keep our cabinets fully stocked with your favorite snacks, take the whole team to free Friday lunches at local restaurants, and have a casual dress code. We’re also a dog-friendly office–dog preferred, actually.
Cold, Hard Cash
We provide $10 per hour pay to all of our specialists. It’s the highest paid marketing internship you’ll find in New Orleans. For those still in school, we’re also happy to do everything we can to get you college credit. In addition, when your department director attends networking events and educational lunches, we’ll be sending you as well, ticket included.
Launch Your Career with our New Orleans Internship
Half our full-time team started at Online Optimism as specialists, and many of our specialists go on to work at some of the top digital marketing agencies around.
Specialist Quiz
Unsure about what department to apply to?
Take our quiz and find out where you fit best!
It’s Not for Freshmen
We have three requirements for our specialist applicants:
- First and foremost, an individual who works hard and wants to be a part of something exceptional.
- Already graduated, or graduating in less than a year, preferably leading to a degree in Marketing, Communications, English, Design, or Statistics.
- A previous internship, or some other professional experience, related to the department you’re applying for.
We’re aware: it can be frustrating to see a company expecting pre-entry-level applicants who are just starting out to already have experience, but our program isn’t marketing 101. You will be hitting the ground running with real work, which means you will have to bring a lot to the table.
For this reason, and the opportunities provided by our program, previous specialists include the usual rising seniors, as well as recent graduates and the occasional MBA and MFA.
Hear it from previous specialists
“Throughout the specialist program I was tasked with assignments that helped build my portfolio and was invited to be involved in meetings that have prepared me for dealing with clients big and small. If you are looking for an internship where you will learn and be challenged everyday, this is the place for you.”
Julien Malet
Specialist Program, Spring 2018
“Online Optimism saw that I wanted to learn skills that would translate to the working field and gave me the opportunities to do so. And because it is a smaller team, Specialists feel valued, trusted, and useful. I don’t think any other internship would have empowered me like my time at Online Optimism did.”
Meara McNitt
Specialist Program, Spring 2017
Ready to Be a Specialist?
Our three specialist terms are below:
Fall Specialist Applications Open: July 2 – July 20, 2018
Fall Specialist Term: September 4 – December 14, 2018
Spring Specialist Applications Open: October 15 – November 2, 2018
Spring Specialist Term: January 7 – May 10, 2019
Summer Specialist Applications Open: February 4th – March 1st, 2019
Summer Specialist Term: May 13 – August 30, 2019
Specialist term start and end dates are not exact – we’re open to moving them forward or back a week to better fit a Specialist’s school schedule or prior commitments.