Reflections on My Internship: Insights, Teamwork, and Growth at Exabeam

As a college student majoring in psychology, I recently completed my internship on the marketing team at Exabeam. These past six weeks have been filled with fascinating projects, collaborative experiences, and invaluable mentorship. In this blog post, I want to share my journey, the projects I worked on, the valuable takeaways I gained, and the incredible team I had the privilege to work with. Join me as I reflect on my internship experience and the growth it has brought to my marketing career aspirations.

In this article:

• My projects
• Team projects
• Three takeaways
• Conclusion

My projects

Customer personas

During my internship at Exabeam, I had the opportunity to contribute to several impactful projects. One of the projects I undertook was conducting a series of interviews to research the Threat Hunter persona. This involved delving into the minds of Threat Hunters to understand their needs, challenges, and strategies. How do we sell to a Threat Hunter? How do you find and engage a Threat Hunter? What are the biggest obstacles a Threat Hunter faces? What strategies are Threat Hunters currently using? Through these interviews, we were able to create a customer persona tailored specifically to the Threat Hunter audience, enabling us  to better understand patterns in their needs and obstacles. This knowledge helps us to better address their unique requirements.

Website and blog

In addition, I worked on improving the company’s website and blog. This involved collecting more than 700 images for media posts. Collaborating with Senior Communication Designer Marina Swanson, we carefully selected images that adhered to design principles such as  the golden ratio, the rule of thirds, and lead room techniques. Providing this bank of high-quality images makes  future content production more efficient and visually appealing. 

Demand generation

I also actively participated in demand generation initiatives. Collaborating with my fellow intern, Zoe, we conducted a comparative analysis of our webinar content against that of our competitors. Our research highlighted the need to increase customer testimonial webinars, cybersecurity awareness webinars, and webinars addressing quarterly product launches.  We worked with VP of Demand Generation Skip Rudolf and his team to develop these ideas and bring them to life. 

Additionally, Zoe and I played a crucial role in developing contacts for a marketing campaign targeting airlines. Working with Skip, we gathered the emails of potential customers, resulting in a comprehensive list of roughly 140 airline companies and about 2,600 email contacts. These contacts are the stepping stone towards reaching a large audience of potential customers. 

Team projects

Social media project

In addition to my individual projects, I collaborated with my fellow interns on two engaging team projects: a social media research project and an events research project. For our social media project, we brainstormed new ideas to improve the Exabeam LinkedIn page. Our proposals included highlighting women at Exabeam, featuring partner and customer testimonials, conducting polls to gauge audience preferences, and creating short videos showcasing demos, webinars, and interviews. We presented our ideas to the Corporate Marketing team, sparking fruitful discussions on improving our LinkedIn content. 

Events project 

In the events research project, we explored relevant industry events and suggested additional events that Exabeam should consider attending. By identifying key events and presenting our ideas, we contributed to expanding the company’s presence in the industry.

Three takeaways

Throughout my internship, I gained valuable insights and experiences that have shaped my understanding of the marketing field. Here are three key takeaways from my time at Exabeam.

1. There are no dumb questions

Despite the short duration of my internship, I made it my goal to learn as much as possible. I immersed myself in product training, engaged in one-on-one conversations with experts, actively participated in team meetings, and collaborated with the marketing team. I truly felt like a meaningful member of the Exabeam family. With the short nature of this internship program, we interns were in full swing from day one. We began with lots of product training through online courses and team discussions. Understanding the technology can sometimes be daunting, but everyone at Exabeam was so excited to teach us. It’s not all going to make sense right away, but I’ve learned the importance of asking questions (and understanding that there are no dumb questions). To quote Director of Product Marketing Jeannie Warner, “a little fear is good.” A slight feeling of incompetence is the natural fuel we need to learn. And, while I learned a lot, I know I still have a lot to learn. I intend to continue asking questions and embracing learning opportunities throughout my career. 

2. We have something to learn from everyone

Interacting with professionals from various roles, including Sales, UX/UI, and different areas of Marketing,  gave me a better understanding of how each role contributes to the success of Exabeam. I walked away from these conversations with practical job advice, industry wisdom, and newfound mentors — all of which I will take with me throughout my career journey. I am especially grateful for the women I met during my internship, who have shown me what it means to be a leader and represented the bright future of women in tech. The common denominator in each conversation was that everyone was truly passionate about what they do and Exabeam as a company — something that inspires me to seek out similar environments in future career opportunities. 

3. Mentorship is key

During my time at Exabeam, I established meaningful relationships with the staff, including my fellow interns. I especially appreciate Corporate Marketing VP Larissa Gaston for taking me under her wing and Senior Product Marketing Manager Cynthia Gonzalez for meeting with me daily and guiding me through my internship. Both of these powerful and inspiring women have become role models for me as I navigate my career path. In fact, everyone I met at Exabeam played a significant role in shaping my internship experience for the better.  

I had the privilege of being part of an amazing team that included fellow interns Lily, Madison, and Zoe. Collaborating on team projects like competitor social media research and competitor events research was a delight. I am truly inspired by the future of women in tech and working alongside them reinforced my belief in their potential. Whether it was sharing meals or working together on projects, I cherished the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by my fellow interns. With diverse backgrounds,  majors, and professional experiences, we each brought something unique to the table and benefited from each other’s knowledge. I couldn’t have asked for a better intern squad!

Conclusion

My internship at Exabeam allowed me to conduct impactful research, collaborate with a talented team, and gain insights into the marketing field. I am grateful for the trust placed in me and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact. This experience has boosted my confidence, provided invaluable mentorship, and instilled a sense of pride in my work. I am excited to carry the skills and knowledge I gained during this internship forward as I embark on my marketing career.. Thank you, Exabeam, for an incredible journey of growth and learning.

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