A week from tomorrow I will be leaving Connecticut and making a move to Chicago. First I’ll be stopping in Ithaca, NY for Cornell’s homecoming (any readers want to meet up?), but then it’s on to the Windy City. I have an apartment leased and furniture ordered. It’s a big move, and I’m really excited about it. You’ve probably envisioned your first apartment after college, and I can almost guarantee that you envision yourself buying furniture online or at a store like Crate & Barrel – just like I did. Well, doing that won’t make Miriam Tucker too happy. She’s the CEO and Partner in charge of all staff and internal business affairs at Rago Arts and Auction Center, an auction house that specializes in the sale of 20th and 21st century art and design, and she’s trying to figure out how to build a larger client base of 20 and 30 somethings. This is a challenging problem because most young people are intimidated by auctions and would never even think of them as offering a better value than a retail store. I have to admit that I’m intimidated by the idea of buying my furniture at auction, but I’d love to try it. Ms. Tucker is looking for creative ways to solve this problem, and she thinks that interns are the answer. That’s why she came to us for help finding some.
When Ms. Tucker e-mailed me the description of her internship, my ears perked up. I don’t usually get excited by the e-mails that companies send about their jobs and internships, because they usually don’t look very good, but this was an exception. The idea of an Internet / Social Marketing Intern for a traditional auction house sounds outstanding. Here’s what Ms. Tucker’s e-mail said:
We are looking for a student to help us implement online marketing initiatives, aimed at attracting new clients in their 20s and 30s. Are you a strategic thinker with a keen sense of the Internet and strong research skills? Are you proficient in social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, digg.com and YouTube? Do you read up on the latest Internet news, web application launches, and the next generation of the Web? Do you like art and design? If you answered yes to these questions, we encourage you to apply. To be considered you must thoroughly understand the blogosphere and social networking. Internship is available for Fall/Spring/Summer terms. Students should be able to work a minimum of 15-20 hours each week onsite at our location in Lambertville, NJ. (There is the potential for some work to be performed from home.) Interns should be available to work during normal business hours.
My head is already spinning with Internet marketing ideas that could help Rago Arts and Auction Center. If yours is too, you’ll be perfect for this internship. You can apply by sending Ms. Tucker a cover letter and resume at mtucker@ragoarts.com (there are opportunities in the fall, spring, and summer). Interns will be compensated with some combination of per diem and college credit (I strongly urged Ms. Tucker to make sure that the interns are paid well for their work). If you’re in the Lambertville, NJ area, this is an opportunity that you don’t want to pass up.
Links to Help You Begin Your Research
If you have any ideas on what Rago Arts can do to attract more young people to their auctions, leave them in the comments. Show us how smart you are.
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Tags: auction, Internships, marketing, New Jersey, paid, social media, social networking
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