After three months of interning this summer at Brock Communications, we can honestly say it was not what we anticipated. Our expectations were exceeded by the reality of what PR professionals do daily. We expected to write a few press releases, call back a couple reporters or do research for reasons that were not explained to us, but in actuality we were given real assignments and serious deadlines. As a wrap up of our summer semester, we wanted to share our top takeaways, expectations and the reality of the work at hand in hopes it will inspire other students to seek an internship at Brock Communications or another agency.
Here’s what we learned:
Shahla Khan Says…
From writing press releases and social media content to media follow ups and campaign writing and planning, my semester was packed with valuable writing assignments. Most importantly, I learned how to write for different platforms and constituent groups, and I know these skills will help me land my next internship in the fall.
Bryan Shapiro Says…
The most important takeaway is to not take things so personally. There were times that I would get feedback on assignments and initially I felt that every critique was a personal attack towards me. I didn’t realize until later that all of the feedback I was given was only to help me. In this field, details are so important and the smallest mistakes can damage one’s career. My time with Team Brock Comm was an amazing learning experience and I now feel like a much stronger and professional individual.
Paige Strott Says…
The most valuable aspect of the internship for me was learning how to blog! I have only written a few blog posts and I never got the chance to write about PR before. Crafting blogs at least twice per week gave me even more reason to stay up to date on industry trends, news and to hone my skills. I am looking forward to returning to Team Brock Comm in the fall and interning during my last semester of college. I feel much more prepared to graduate after having this fulfilling internship experience.
How skills do you wish more young pros had before applying for their first job?