By Tori Weisman
“We’d love to offer you the media relations internship this summer!”
Reading those words felt like a wave of emotions— all of my happiness and excitement built up, until the butterflies hit. I had never worked in an office before, let alone a bustling and thriving agency. The moment I stepped into Olive, all of my butterflies flew away. With the nerves gone, I was ready to absorb everything. It can all seem daunting, but here are a few tips on how to succeed at your first public relations internship!
Before You Start:
- Come with a positive attitude. No matter how nervous you may be, having a positive outlook when you enter the office will go a long way.
- Do research and prepare questions. Before you start, find out about the agency’s clients. Going into the job already acquainted with who you’re working for will give you a head start, and can help prepare you to do anything asked of you.
- It’s okay to be nervous. Your coworkers at the agency likely know that this is your first time in a professional workplace, and they understand you won’t know everything off the bat. After all, the whole reason for doing an internship is to learn!
- Dress accordingly. Even if the agency’s dress code is casual, dress your best. You’re the new person in the office, so dress to impress!
Once You Start
- Take notes. Even if you don’t think you need to, take notes on everything. From instructions to meetings, to phone calls… take notes. Not only will this help you in the long-run, but it’s a great way to keep track of everything you’ve been doing.
- Ask questions. While taking notes can help prevent asking redundant questions, it’s always best to ask someone for help if you need it. It’s likely that your coworkers would rather you ask questions so you can get the task done correctly rather than say nothing, and they have to fix it later.
- Involve yourself. It can be intimidating being the new person in the office, so involve yourself however you can. From office chats to asking to sit in on a phone call, by getting to know your coworkers and the clients, you’ll have a richer experience.
What to Expect
- Grab a pen; you’ll be writing! Either taking notes, sending emails or logging media hits for a client, you will do a lot of writing. Like all aspects of your internship, this is another excellent way to grow your skills as a PR practitioner.
- Teachers are all around you. Every person at your agency is there to support you in one way or another. Ask questions, observe as much as you can and be involved.
- Be open for growth. Each day you enter the office is a new opportunity to learn and grow. You’ll be jumping into busy days with multiple clients and projects to work on, and your coworkers are there to help guide you and offer constructive criticism along the way.
Are you interested in being an Olive intern? Send us an email with your resume and why you’d be a good fit to: val@olivecreativestrategies.com.