What does it look like to build a marketing career in today's fast-changing world? Three CMA interns – Edan, Cisly and Sakina – share the experiences, values and lessons shaping their paths.
Sakina:What I love most about my role as a Sales & Membership Coordinator intern is connecting with Canada's vibrant marketing community. Facilitating those relationships and seeing how our resources empower professionals to grow is incredibly rewarding. It’s a privilege to contribute to such a collaborative and forward-thinking team.
Edan: What I love most about my job is the variety. I get to work on projects involving learning, outreach, events, data and strategy, while also meeting professionals across different industries. Every day gives me a chance to learn something new, contribute ideas and see how marketing supports real business goals.
Edan: Curiosity, adaptability and empathy are essential for young marketers. Marketing changes quickly, so you need to keep learning and stay open to new tools and ideas. At the same time, understanding people and communicating honestly is what helps create work that is relevant, useful and genuinely connects with an audience.
Cisly:Resilience and adaptability are essential. As AI continues to reshape marketing, every change is an opportunity to learn and grow. Embracing new technology while staying focused on creating value and building genuine connections with people helps marketers remain relevant.
Sakina:The hardest challenge was bridging the gap between classroom theory and real-world execution. Textbook knowledge is foundational, but it doesn't prepare you for the nuance of organizational dynamics. I overcame this by becoming a proactive sponge, asking questions, seeking mentorship, and focusing on practical application. Accepting that real growth happens through hands-on experience turned that uncertainty into confidence.
Cisly: One of my biggest challenges was transitioning into the Canadian marketing industry after building my career in Saint Lucia. I overcame it by continuing my education, earning industry certifications, networking and embracing opportunities like my internship with the CMA, which helped me gain local experience and confidence.
Sakina:Don’t just learn marketing theory, understand the data behind it. Marketing is strategic and quantifiable. Prioritize building a "portfolio of proof" by documenting projects where you solved real problems. Quantifying your impact is the most effective way to prove your value; results speak much louder than a degree alone.
Edan: Be open to any and every opportunity that comes your way. Meet, talk to and learn from as many people as you can. You never know which conversation or experience could lead to your next opportunity, so stay curious, build relationships and be willing to step outside your comfort zone.
Sakina:I’m proud of proving to myself that my Economics background isn't a handicap, it’s my competitive edge. Leaving the security of a known path to start over in Marketing was terrifying. Realizing that my analytical brain makes my creative work sharper has been my most meaningful, grounding personal victory.
Cisly: I'm proud of building a marketing career across two countries. Contributing to destination campaigns in Saint Lucia and continuing my professional journey in Canada through my studies and internship with the CMA has shown me the value of resilience, continuous learning and embracing new opportunities.
Edan:Moving from animation into interdisciplinary studies and completing a marketing internship helped define my career direction. It showed me that creativity can be applied beyond design. Working on projects, speaking with industry professionals and contributing to strategic initiatives helped me see how my creative and analytical strengths can work together.
Cisly: Transitioning from destination marketing in Saint Lucia to brand and digital marketing in Canada has shaped my career in meaningful ways. It taught me that growth comes from embracing change, staying curious and being willing to step outside your comfort zone.
Cisly: I love that marketing has the power to shape perceptions and inspire action. Whether promoting a destination, a brand or an idea, great marketing creates meaningful connections that influence how people think, feel and engage.
Sakina:I love that marketing doesn't force me to pick a lane. I get to be the analytical one who figures out the strategy, but I also get to be the creative one who brings it to life. It’s that constant back-and-forth between the two that makes the work actually feel like me.
Edan: I love that marketing combines creativity, strategy, communication and problem-solving. It is not only about promoting something; it is about understanding people, identifying what matters to them and communicating value clearly. I also enjoy that the field is always evolving, so there is always something new to learn.
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You start scrolling through LinkedIn, Glassdoor and Indeed. That's when it hits you: does this path actually lead where you want to go? Are you even on the right path at all? Suddenly, you're asking questions you thought you'd already answered.
One piece of advice that stuck with me was to stop waiting until I felt 'fully ready' before taking opportunities. A lot of growth comes from putting yourself in environments that challenge you, even if you're still learning. I've learned that experience builds confidence.
While scouring social media sites, job postings and your favourite companies searching for opportunities to get your foot in the door, you kept seeing one constant – required experience. That's something you just don't have. You're trying but you can't seem to get your foot in the door. Either you get no response or the response is that they've decided not to move forward with your application. That sucks.
