Going into week 4 of this internship has made me realize how much I’ve already learned. I’ve added so many graphics to my portfolio and made a bunch of posts for their instagram. I also helped introduce them to tiktok, where I created a couple videos that have generated a lot of likes and views. My main focus has been proposing new ideas that will help bring more attention to their business. While also posting regularly and researching how to improve my designs. I learned to adjust to their laid back work schedule and focus on motivating myself to turn things in as quickly as possible. Mostly i’ve been getting used to the language barrier, when talking to coworkers, and making posts. This is because I don’t understand their language so I usually have to use google translate when making captions. I’m also adjusting to their cultural differences as well. They’re very open to asking questions and have already asked me about politics and my personal life. Mainly there have been cultural differences in communication, scheduling, and work expectations that have required me to be flexible.
Czech work culture tends to be more direct and independent, while I’m used to a more collaborative environment in the US. At first I was unsure how to interpret brief feedback through messages and meetings. A lot of messages I received were short like “good job” or “great work”. Which made me nervous because I’m used to more detailed responses on what they liked or what can be improved. I also wasn’t sure if I should send them extra ideas or only work on what I was assigned. I eventually adapted by learning to not overthink blunt messages, and accept their responses as positive feedback. Shortly after I learned to ask more specific follow up questions so that I could meet their expectations. As well as accepting more responsibility and independence when it comes to designing.
Later evening meetings and vague content requests were hard to adjust to at first. Since The Jam is a bar, much of the media is collected late at night. I was initially nervous about taking public transport so late at night, and working such an inconsistent schedule. This is when I began to notice that their cultural norm is less boundaries between work and personal time. Which makes their work hours and responsibilities a lot more flexible. For example today I suggested a couple ideas for boosting following and building our tiktok account. Then my supervisor also wanted me to create an ad for renting out their space during the day. This meant that I needed to visit at opening time in order to get content with their space while it was empty. My supervisor also asked me to stay and take videos of their comedy event, and in between I worked on editing content. As you can see I’ve learned to follow a less strict schedule and be prepared for last minute requests. Which has allowed me to better manage my time and be more flexible with my schedule. I reorganized my own schedule to allow for remote work and meetings during the day while also setting aside time for site visits. That way I can still get content for their social media to work on editing during the day.
As previously mentioned I began noticing that tasks were usually less structured and had little instruction. In contrast to American internships where I feel I received more detailed instruction and deadlines. I also felt like I was getting things done very quickly, so for a while I felt as though I wasn’t doing enough. I wasn’t sure if suggesting ideas was overstepping or going beyond my job description. For example my supervisor sent me an instagram post and said “make something like this please”. I then followed up by asking what the purpose of this post was for, how long he would like the video, and what language he would like it in. I have learned to trust in their feedback and my own creativity. They tend to tell me to change things multiple times, so I have to make adjustments and keep sending designs until it meets their standards. I’ve learned to like this constructive criticism because it only helps me improve my marketing skills.
While many of my coworkers speak English, a lot of their clients speak Czech. Which can create a bit of a disconnect when they are speaking to other coworkers or clients. A big hurtle I have had to overcome is understanding that cultural signage and humor used in posts sometimes doesn’t translate well. Therefore I also make sure to check my posts with my supervisor, so that it is accurate and easy to understand. I want to be sure I am using the correct spelling and terms, in order to capture the attention of my audience. Another helpful resource was researching their slang, humor and local trends. That way I had a better concept of what would appeal to them. Most importantly adapting to all these differences has helped me gain an appreciation towards cultural context that shapes branding and audience connection.
