When Rebecca O’Carroll graduated from University College Dublin with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, she was not entirely sure what would come next. With friends raving about their time on the Summer J-1 visa and a gut feeling that “it’s only a year in the grand scheme of themes,” she started researching her options. That’s when she discovered Rian and began exploring its J-1 graduate visa program. 

Now nearing the end of her year as a creative and digital marketing intern at Didit, a New York-based agency, Rebecca has found her footing in a professional creative role, something she once was not sure was even possible. Initially uncertain about how her degree would translate into the workplace, Rebecca credits Rian for helping her identify roles that aligned with her academic background. 

Rebecca did not land her role through cold applications alone. A few weeks before her job search deadline, she attended a summer party hosted by the Irish Business Organization (IBO), a free event that ended up being a turning point. With her job search stress sinking in, she made a new friend at the event who pointed out someone known for being helpful. Rebecca introduced herself, followed up the next day, and was offered a volunteer role at a four-day event. It felt like a big commitment so late in her job search, but as she puts it, “at that point, it was all or nothing”. 

Luckily, the leap of faith paid off. The person she volunteered with ended up connecting her with her current employer. “In the creative field, you are always going to be able to express yourself better face to face” Rebecca says. Only so much can be communicated through a resume or cover letter, but when you meet someone–whether it is to work with them or just build a connection–it makes all the difference. 

At Didit, Rebecca found her stride. From drafting social media copy and proofreading content to sitting in on brainstorming meetings and learning about SEO and Google Analytics, she has had a crash course in the digital marketing world. “My favorite part is definitely copywriting,” she shares. It’s an opportunity to flex her creative muscles in a professional context –something she was not sure her career would ever allow. One of the standout moments? Attending a conference in Atlantic City, her first business trip, which she describes as a pivotal moment: “I felt so official and important”, she says, smiling. 

Living and working in New York has been both a thrill and a challenge. “The city moves really quick, Rebecca concedes, and “you can fall into a cycle of thinking you’re needing to do something extraordinary all the time”. But she has learned to remind herself that being there, getting laundry done, buying groceries, wandering into a random park, is extraordinary in itself. ‘Being here in itself is doing something really great,” she affirms. 

Rebecca has made a habit of exploring the city solo on Fridays, her day off, often getting lost in new neighborhoods or cozying up in coffee shops. On weekends, she has been able to travel farther away, recently ticking Miami and Washington D.C. off her list–with Nashville up next. 

While her time in the US has not been without surprises, “filing taxes was a learning curve,” she laughs, Rebecca has grown both professionally and personally. “It’s definitely been a character building experience” she shares. With a lot of her university life shaped by Covid, this year has offered a first sample of full-time work and truly independent living.

 “I’ve definitely got a lot more comfortable in spending time by myself,” she says, “whether that means attending a networking event solo or eating alone in a restaurant. There is so much value in learning how to enjoy your own company and the J-1 gives a space to do that, but still with the safety net of a supportive program. 

She has also developed a newfound appreciation for marketing, a field she had not previously considered. “I was kind of naive to the fact that marketing is such a creative field,” she says. But being in New York, constantly surrounded by advertisements and seeing the strategy and storytelling behind them, helped her realize how much creativity goes into it. “I think that’s hopefully where I see myself going now”. 

A master’s degree or online course in marketing may be in her future, but for now, she’s focused on ending her internship on an up note. “I kind of want to end on a high and show that it was worth bringing me on for a year”, she says. Rather than winding down, Rebecca plans to do the opposite–keep the momentum going, right until the very end.