Comments on: PR and Marketing Internships http://www.carltonprmarketing.com/marketing/pr-and-marketing-internships Integrated Public Relations, Marketing and Social Media Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:09:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Jessica Lomelin http://www.carltonprmarketing.com/marketing/pr-and-marketing-internships/comment-page-1#comment-22 Jessica Lomelin Fri, 09 Jan 2009 01:52:31 +0000 http://www.carltonprmarketing.com/?p=84#comment-22 I agree with what you say about balancing internships with school. To quote Mark Twain in that, "Don't let Schooling get in the way of your Education," the college experience should be one of growth, challenge and progression. The great thing about PR is that it's constantly changing and progressing, so it can't always be taught through textbooks. Working and having an internship helps you gain real-world experience into PR and communications, which could never be achieved through classes. I think it's valuable to maintain both as school provides invaluable lessons. I think the ideal internship helps the intern explore their interests, challenges them, and gives them exposre to the agency, culture and clients. It's important to participate in different projects, sit it on meetings, and meet with co-workers. I am grateful in that I had a stellar internship where my supervisor was a mentor to me and met with me weekly to make sure my goals (both personally and professionally) were being achieved, discussing the internship as a whole, and laying out what the company's expectations were. I also worked on an "intern project" where my co-interns and I owned the research and implementation, which was then presented to the agency. Taking ownership on a project was an amazing experience and gave me great writing materials. Having successful internships in college solidifed my decision to pursue PR. My advice to interns is to be pro-active and be vocal about your expectations and goals. This should be a learning and growth period for both parties and showing interest and offering help and asking questions will lead you very far. I agree with what you say about balancing internships with school. To quote Mark Twain in that, “Don’t let Schooling get in the way of your Education,” the college experience should be one of growth, challenge and progression. The great thing about PR is that it’s constantly changing and progressing, so it can’t always be taught through textbooks. Working and having an internship helps you gain real-world experience into PR and communications, which could never be achieved through classes. I think it’s valuable to maintain both as school provides invaluable lessons.

I think the ideal internship helps the intern explore their interests, challenges them, and gives them exposre to the agency, culture and clients. It’s important to participate in different projects, sit it on meetings, and meet with co-workers. I am grateful in that I had a stellar internship where my supervisor was a mentor to me and met with me weekly to make sure my goals (both personally and professionally) were being achieved, discussing the internship as a whole, and laying out what the company’s expectations were. I also worked on an “intern project” where my co-interns and I owned the research and implementation, which was then presented to the agency. Taking ownership on a project was an amazing experience and gave me great writing materials. Having successful internships in college solidifed my decision to pursue PR.

My advice to interns is to be pro-active and be vocal about your expectations and goals. This should be a learning and growth period for both parties and showing interest and offering help and asking questions will lead you very far.

]]> By: Tom O'Keefe http://www.carltonprmarketing.com/marketing/pr-and-marketing-internships/comment-page-1#comment-8 Tom O'Keefe Sat, 27 Dec 2008 17:20:11 +0000 http://www.carltonprmarketing.com/?p=84#comment-8 College should be the time to find out what you like and don't like, where you fit in, and what you may want to do in the future. If that only includes academic endeavors, that is OK, but it limits your knowledge of the field, especially in PR. Nearly every PR professional I've spoken to has stated that internships are a great way to set yourself apart, gain experience, and see if the field is right for you. I came into college not knowing what I wanted to do and managed to secure an internship with a financial services company after freshman year. That internship showed me that financial services was not something I wanted to pursuit. Since then I've interned at two PR agencies of differing sizes and found that PR is something I like. I've gotten a lot out of both internships, but working with a smaller agency has widened my experience in the field. I've found that being proactive as an intern translates into more work and therefore more experience. College should be the time to find out what you like and don’t like, where you fit in, and what you may want to do in the future. If that only includes academic endeavors, that is OK, but it limits your knowledge of the field, especially in PR. Nearly every PR professional I’ve spoken to has stated that internships are a great way to set yourself apart, gain experience, and see if the field is right for you. I came into college not knowing what I wanted to do and managed to secure an internship with a financial services company after freshman year. That internship showed me that financial services was not something I wanted to pursuit. Since then I’ve interned at two PR agencies of differing sizes and found that PR is something I like.

I’ve gotten a lot out of both internships, but working with a smaller agency has widened my experience in the field. I’ve found that being proactive as an intern translates into more work and therefore more experience.

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