Camera IQ Co-op Interview with Chloe Fletcher (March 2022)

Chloe Fletcher is an international business major, with concentrations in Finance and Management with a minor in Strategy. She joined TAMID in Fall 2020 (Lamed class) and was the VP of Events and Finance in Spring 2021.

What is your co-op (role, company, basic responsibilities)?

“I’m working as a Strategy Associate at a tech startup called Camera IQ, a platform which allows brands to create Augmented Reality experiences/filters to drive customer engagement on Instagram, Facebook, Snap, and (most recently) TikTok. My individual role is a dynamic, balanced blend of analytical and strategic work across company teams, which I love. I derive insights from AR campaigns and analyze customer performance data, creating data visualization dashboards for the product team to better understand how the product is being used by customers. I also have worked to build compelling case studies and insight decks that showcase the effectiveness of the Camera IQ solution and the power of AR to meet business objectives.”

Why did you choose this co-op? (ex. the type of work, company culture, specific projects, the industry, benefits, etc.)

“Fundamentally, I was interested in working at a tech company and experiencing what it was like to work at a startup; however, the scope of the work was what sold me on this co-op. As someone without a lot of technical experience, I definitely saw value in the aspect of data analysis this role has, and its pairing with strategy felt like a perfect fit for me.”

What was the co-op application/interview process like for you? Do you have any advice to other TAMID members who will be starting their job search in the future?

“The co-op application required a cover letter and had 3 rounds of interviews, with 2 members of the product team and my supervisor. My interview advice would be to just be yourself and let your personality/interests/passions shine through (while still being professional, of course)! My supervisor literally told me that a big part of their offer decision was how well he thought he and I would gel.” 

What is your favorite thing about the company you work at?

“While I love lots of things about the company and the role, my favorite part is probably how much impact I have. One of my least favorite things is doing tasks that seem menial and trivial, unable to understand why I’m doing it and what it’s being used for. With pretty much everything I work on, my supervisor tells me why it’s being done, how it’s useful for the team/company, and what will be done with it,  which is such a rewarding feeling.”

What are some projects you have been working on?

“One of my favorite projects I recently owned was conducting a cross-industry [Beauty, CPG, Gaming, Music, and TV] analysis of the performance of Augmented Reality experiences built with our platform vs. off-platform. Essentially, I was trying to prove that experiences that were platform-built performed just as well, if not better than, those that were not, which can be leveraged in conversations with current and potential customers. I looked at all effects that were published during 2021 to compare their performance per account, industry, and social platform based on KPIs like views, play rate, and share rate. I presented my findings at the company’s last Show & Tell meeting which was a super memorable experience.”

Describe what a day of work look like for you:

“My responsibilities and projects change every week and every day! Along with calls/meetings at least once, if not several times a day, I have a call with my supervisor at the beginning of every week to go over a list of priorities composed of different analyses and projects. I structure my day and decide how I should allocate time based on this conversation, but in line with the nature of a startup, priorities change quickly and ad-hoc projects come up often.” 

Is this your first co-op? If not, how is this co-op different from your previous co-op?

“This is my second co-op, which gave me much better insight into what exactly I wanted to do/try next. I used to be a Finance concentrator, so my first co-op was much more tailored to that, helping me realize I craved something else. I believe this co-op is much more of what I’m looking for in work, not only do I own a lot of projects and feel like I’m constantly contributing value to the company, but I’m learning and being challenged every day.” 

What do you hope to gain or learn from your co-op experience?

“Aside from the professional experience and networking, I honestly value co-op because it allows you to find what you do and don’t like and how you best work. I hope to develop my critical thinking and prioritization skills, aligning with the idea my supervisor has instilled in me of questioning and deriving insight from everything. I feel so much more equipped to choose a career that’s right for me after this experience and hope that this co-op will continue to help me grow as a person and professional (I know it will!)”

Any advice to someone who is looking to have a co-op similar to yours in the future?

“As someone who didn’t have a lot of technical experience when applying to this role, I wasn’t sure it wouldn’t be enough. That being said, how you speak to your experiences and who you are outside of your resume is relevant too! Emphasizing your enthusiasm and willingness to learn is my biggest piece of advice.”