#CentroLife: To be a Centern

For some, being an intern meant that one was destined for most mundane tasks:  coffee runs, endlessly making copies, and stacks of business cards waiting to be uploaded into Salesforce. But times are changing and the need to cultivate loyal, long-term talent has never been greater.

This summer, the internship program kicked off in Chicago with 13 Interns, or Centerns, hired across nine different teams. For an exciting 11 weeks, these interns were given hands-on learning experiences with real ad campaigns and projects to enhance their growth and foster development. What makes this program special is Centro’s inclusion in Chi Interns Unite, a group of technology companies that rotate hosting panels and social events for the interns so they can not only learn as much about the tech space as possible but also build their networking skills.

Today, we bring you testimonials from four of our Centerns about their experiences at Centro. If you have more questions about our Internship program or would like to apply to be a part of the program, please reach out to talent.development@centro.net.

Quentin Heard, Audience Buying Group

Northeastern Illinois University

“Some days, I’m pacing campaigns for all the regions to alleviate any pressure on the buyers. Other days, I’m pulling reports for specific projects. I’m also part of a larger project that incorporates Centerns from other departments and involves planning, building, launching, and optimizing a campaign. I knew I wanted to work in the programmatic space after being exposed to it during a previous internship. I couldn’t have been luckier to be able to combine the opportunity to work in RTB and do it at such a cutting-edge company like Centro. After reading so many great things, there was little needed to persuade me to become a Centern. The greatest part of this experience is the amount education and resources available. No one here wants to hold anyone back from reaching their potential.”

Grayden Smith, Paid Search Team

Loyola University, Chicago

“Centro attracted me because of its culture and the idea of hands on experience. The team has allowed me to work directly on multiple client projects, in all aspects of their campaigns. It’s incredible the amount they’ve trusted me to accomplish on the various projects I’ve been entrusted with. It makes my confidence in my own abilities skyrocket being able to own my work, learn by getting my hands dirty and actually contributing to various ad campaigns daily. Centro’s culture of being kind, friendly, and motivated really makes an impact as well. Everyone is courteous and never hesitates to lend a hand. Between the work and the environment, I’ve learned tons of practical skills in relation to my interests and reinforced my belief that kindness goes a long way in the workplace.  I take pride in telling people where I’ve worked this summer!”

Henry Rizzi, Data Ops

Vassar College

“Learning new things every day and further understanding all the moving parts of Centro’s software has really furthered my understanding of the business. This hands-on experience has given me a solid foundation with data and reporting, and has given me a better idea of what I want to do in the future. To anyone thinking of applying for Centro’s internship program, it’s a great experience. The culture is amazing and all the people I’ve met in the company are upbeat and passionate about their jobs. There will be lots of challenges in whatever discipline you’re working, but part of learning is facing challenges and growing from them.”

Lucy Chen, Data Science

UC Berkeley

“When I started looking for internships last year, I was attracted to Centro because of the size of the company and because it is positioned in a rapidly changing industry. I wanted an internship where I would have an abundance of responsibilities and a space that required rapid learning. Centro’s people and its dedication to its work far exceeded my expectations. For example, since Data Science as a field is still growing and changing, the team here is committed to furthering their education. We have weekly lectures where each team member presents on a different topic in the field. Similarly, Tech at Centro has regular Lunch-and-Learns. I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with the team on the development of a new pre-planning campaign tool unlike any other in the ad tech industry. It has been a challenging task and one that I couldn’t have had at a larger company.”

Make sure you stay tuned for more testimonials from our fantastic Centerns!