Today is the last day of my internship at Himmelrich PR. I am no fan of goodbyes; however, I have been lucky to be a part of a talented agency that has taught me a lot. From brainstorming sessions to little details of major projects, I was offered opportunities everyday to be involved in and learn more about the inner workings of public relations. Through these experiences, I have not only discovered some of the tricks of the trade, but more on how to make any internship successful.
I thought I’d share some of what I have noticed and has been of value to me over my past three months here at HPR:
1) Whether it is completing an assignment or going to a meeting, punctuality is a necessity. Be on time!
2) What you will get out of your internship is what you put into it. A rewarding internship comes from being proactive. Ask for more work. Do more than what you are asked to do on a project.
3) You will make mistakes. When that happens, understand and recognize the difference between criticism and constructive criticism. It is always the latter, so take notes.
4) Say yes to everything—extra projects, an invitation to a client event, attending a meeting, all of it.
5) Keep it short, sweet and to your point. Whether it is emails, pitches, questions or explanations, make sure you know your audience and proofread everything you write (even a sticky note). A few extra minutes of editing and reflecting is always better than an awkward follow up of “oops!”
6) Be present. Put down the cell phone, stop texting, get off Facebook and pay attention to everything going on around you. I have learned the most from simply listening.
I was told when I started that I would not be looked at as just an intern—what was expected from me was expected from everyone at the firm. I don’t know if I exceeded the expectations, but my internship experience at Himmelrich PR has definitely exceeded mine.
From a current intern (for the next hour or so),
Gabrielle Cohen