Kimberly Yang is always armed…with her favorite Mario Badescu products, of course. The 20-year-old student is the Marketing and Social Media Intern at the celebrity skincare line. Double majoring in Marketing and Journalism and Media Studies, Yang hopes that this internship will be the gateway to a rewarding career.
Currently a sophomore, Yang saw a posting for the position on the Rutgers Business School’s Facebook page. “The application process was quite standard,” Yang explained. “I sent in my resume, along with a few pieces from my portfolio, and went in for the interview.”
Luckily, fetching coffee is not part of Yang’s job description. Her position entails doing anything and everything related to social media, marketing, and writing. “I loved that my work wasn’t limited to just one specific area,” Yang said. “I was able to be a part of the planning and development processes of various new projects.”
The social media aspect of her title is not limited to work on the company’s Facebook page. “I worked on developing contests and content, writing e-mail blasts, drafting advertisement copy, rewriting product labels, launching and writing for their relatively new blog, and rewriting their skin care consulting pages,” Yang said.
Yang’s internship parallels what she wants to do in the future. “I’d love to be a contributor, columnist, or writer for a fashion or woman’s magazine,” Yang shared. “I would be equally happy working in public relations, marketing, or advertising.”
Yang worked hard from an early age. The 5-foot-2 Aries was a fashion editorial intern, and a writer for two boutique fashion magazines in the past. “I’ll always be open-minded,” Yang said. “I love learning and trying new things, and listening to new perspectives.”
Blogging caused Yang to realize what she wants for her future. “It’s why I’m here, doing whatever it is I do today,” Yang said. “I blog about fashion, style, beauty, philosophy, feminism, human interest stories, and essentially anything that allows me to adopt a stance.”
Yang is proud of her accomplishments no matter how big or small. “I suppose that getting published and writing a blog that has been recognized by a few people in the fashion and publishing industry is what I’m proud of most,” Yang said.
Yang started her internship with Mario Badescu last summer. She now works for them via telecommuting and she occasionally goes into the office for meetings.
According to Yang, being a student at Rutgers is helping to achieve her goals. “It’s massive in size, reach, and diversity,” Yang said. “I love that it’s only a train ride away from the city, and is close enough to home where I can still work two jobs consistently. It’s difficult to get anywhere without a degree.”
Yang chose to work for Mario Badescu because the company abides by her beliefs. “I believe in what they stand for,” Yang said. “Their products are a true representation of the fact that simplicity is the key to beautiful skin.” Yang’s favorite Mario Badescu product is the “Vitamin C Serum.” “It truly is brilliant, and it helps that it’s in Julia Restoin-Roitfeld’s skincare arsenal as well,” Yang said.
The frequent reader of Elle and Vogue Paris, advises that students do not get an internship just for the sake of having an internship. “Call me naïve, but I truly believe in wanting and loving what you do,” Yang said. “Without it, there’s not drive and people can see that.” Yang also stresses the importance of following up after you send in a resume. “Let them know you care, and that you truly want it.”
Having an internship helps Yang to work with different types of people. “It’s taught me to never be afraid of reaching out and asking questions,” Yang said. “Communication is key.”
Yang will return to Mario Badescu full-time this summer. “The initial job description was just everything I had in mind for an internship, and it turned out to be more,” Yang said. “Hopefully that’s a good sign. There are too many things that I’d like to get done and do. It’s all a matter of prioritizing.”
