Top 5 things every intern should know

This has been a summer of firsts. This is my first time working in a public relations firm, my first time living in Cary, and my first time writing a blog post – just to name a few. When starting this internship, I was a little nervous. I’ve had a couple of internships before, but I could tell from the interview that this certainly wasn’t going to be a “coffee and errands” kind of job. Now that I am finishing up my internship and heading back to UNCW for my senior year, I feel so fortunate to have had this opportunity.

When thinking of how to approach this post, someone suggested “Tips for Being a Successful Intern.” While I am flattered by the suggestion, I think it will be more fitting to talk about the top five things I learned during my time at S&A Communications.

1. What you learn in your classes will apply to your career more than you expect. I was learning a ton of public relations terms and case studies, thinking that these were all helpful but unlikely to be that useful. I wanted to learn how to write a press release, manage a crisis, and actually DO things. What I did not realize was that these terms and cases are the foundation for every aspect of a career in public relations. I constantly used key terms during discussions and referenced case studies when brainstorming for client work. It actually became a little scary how often I could hear my professors in my head!

2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Seriously, this one is important. As an intern who is just getting started in the field and may not have even graduated yet (like myself), you certainly have a lot of room to grow and learn. It can be intimidating to ask for help, but it’s the best way to learn from people with more experience and make sure you are performing up to expectations.

3. Know where you stand. Like I mentioned before, you don’t know everything – that’s why you’re here. You are learning, and with learning new skills you will inevitably make mistakes. Embrace these mistakes, apply any feedback, and use this experience to improve yourself and your work. My written work was edited and revised by a number of people. Thankfully Glenn was always willing to review my press releases and provide helpful feedback. This was not to insult my writing abilities, but to help me strengthen those abilities. On the other hand, don’t sell yourself short. Be confident in yourself and your abilities. They chose you for a reason, so don’t be afraid to speak up and impress them!

4. Teamwork is key. When starting at S&A, I couldn’t help but picture the movie-style PR firm with people furiously working in their offices and only being able to talk to anyone by appointment. Luckily, this was not the case at all. We do make appointments and we are often hard at work in our offices, but we do it all together. Deneen’s weekly meetings to check in and go over client work were extremely helpful. It was a time to get advice from each other and ask for help if it was needed. I could always count on someone to be there ready and willing to help, and I learned the importance of reciprocating that to your coworkers. Collaborating on catchy headlines and content for clients’ newsletters or print ads was one of my favorite ways we all got to work together.

5. Enjoy yourself and your time! Yes, I have stressed that you’re here to learn, but don’t forget to appreciate it. This is an exciting time to meet new people, try new things, and grow. I hope that whatever internship you find yourself in is one you can enjoy and take away a positive experience. I know I did!

Honorable mentions: Bring a rain jacket when you work an outdoor event (Leah and I quickly learned this at Band Together’s main event), always leave in time to get Starbucks, and every meeting is better with snacks.

Good luck!