2026 Chicago Internship

Directapplication; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Directapplication in Chicago is looking for Summer Associates to engage deeply with business and clients, gaining insights to drive transformation. This role involves collaborating with diverse teams, analyzing data, and contributing to creative problem-solving.

The ideal candidate will be a rising senior pursuing a BA or BS degree, with strong communication and critical thinking skills. The internship aims for full-time offers upon completion in our Chicago office.

Qualifications

• Rising senior, actively pursuing a BA or BS degree.
• Demonstrated academic performance.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Gain a deep understanding of business and customers.
• Collaborate on complex challenges with multidisciplinary teams.
• Contribute to creative problem-solving and storytelling.
• Play a role beyond project work.
• Learn fast, grow early, and lead with a point of view.

Skills

Critical thinking

Problem solving

Creative thinking

Communication skills

Knowledge of brand strategy

Curiosity

Education

BA or BS degree

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE

Great work starts with a great foundation. And we hope to build a great foundation through our Summer Associate Program. Summer Associates dive into every detail of the business, working to gain an understanding of our clients, their growth aspirations, and what drives their customers.

Summer Associates work with everyone in the firm, collaborating with colleagues across the organization. On any given project, you’ll interact with clients, Partners, Designers, Insights Specialists, Content Strategists, and many others from our rich multidisciplinary bench. The Summer Associate role is organized to cultivate a true understanding of our approach to consulting and develop the skills to get it done.

YOUR DAY TO DAY

While every day will be different, you can expect to:

• Gain a deep understanding of business and customers.
  You'll dig into industries, markets, and customer behaviors to understand how our clients grow and how shifting customer needs, digital trends, and market conditions may impact that growth. Through primary and secondary research, you’ll help uncover insights that drive transformation.

• Collaborate on complex challenges with multidisciplinary teams.
  Working side‑by‑side with strategists, designers, day‑to‑day client leads, you’ll help answer big strategic questions on growth, brand, marketing, and transformation. You may be shaping a new brand or exploring a market entry strategy; always contributing your perspective while learning to refine it with feedback.

• Contribute to creative problem‑solving and storytelling.
  You’ll analyze data, participate in ideation sessions, and help shape hypotheses. Then, you’ll turn research into persuasive deliverables (decks, frameworks, and presentations), learning how to frame the “so what” and present insightful, actionable recommendations to internal leaders and clients.

• Play a role beyond project work.
  Interns also contribute to firm growth and culture from supporting business development and proposals to helping shape office initiatives and thought leadership. It’s a chance to stretch your skills beyond client work and make your mark internally.

• Learn fast, grow early, and lead with a point of view.
  You’ll have exposure to senior teammates and clients, with mentorship and regular feedback to help you build confidence and sharpen your POV, in written presentations and as a voice in the room. You’ll practice articulating your perspective, iterating with teammates, and shaping best‑in‑class results.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR

• A great education: you should be a rising senior, earning a BA or BS degree with demonstrated academic performance
• Well‑developed critical thinking capabilities, problem solving skills, and creative thinking
• Superior communication skills, both verbal and written
• Knowledge of, and passion for, brand, digital, and marketing strategy; and, how they impact business outcomes
• A curious mind with an unrelenting commitment to get to the answer, to test new approaches, learn new skills, and push others’ assumptions
• Confusion tolerance: comfort with ambiguity and the ability to adapt, flex, and change directions given client, project, and team circumstances, understanding the ever‑changing business world

Due to the fact that our internship program is designed to provide full‑time offers upon completion, we are unable to move forward with anyone requiring sponsorship now, or in the future. Your submission also confirms that you are interviewing to join our Chicago office, with the expectation thatpost‑internship should you receive a full‑time offer, it will also be in our Chicago office.