The number one thing people ask me as a PR student is where have you interned? Or are you interning? This past summer I had no experience going into my junior year, which led me to leap into the PR world and apply to some internships. Through a lot of interviews and rejection I learned so much. Here are some tips that might help you get started in the PR world.
1.You can never apply to too many internships.
Put yourself out there and apply everywhere. Even though I had no prior experience, I had a goal and knew what kind of internship I was looking for. My dream has always been to intern for the Philadelphia Flyers, so this summer I went for it and I applied to five internships in the public relations and marketing departments of the Flyers organization. Outside of that, I applied to five other internships. Over the summer I had a total of five interviews, which gave me a lot of practice. Applying to various positions can give you more opportunities to not only secure a position, but also gain valuable experience.
2.Be Eager to Learn
Despite my lack of experience, I made sure that every person that interviewed me knew that I was ready for the challenge and wanted to learn everything they could possibly teach me. It’s important to ask a lot of questions about the position. Find out what your duties will be and what skills you will be gaining from the internship experience. Showing your interviewer that you are passionate about the skills you have and want to learn more makes you a great candidate.
3.Rejection is Okay
The reality of applying for internships is, you are not going to be hired for every position. Even if you have the best interview and are a great candidate, the internship might not be the best fit for you or the company. Not hearing back after my interview with the Flyers left me feeling extremely down, but it led me to get the internship I have now, which I love. If I had been hired by the Flyers I would have never applied to my current job at Breslow Partners and would have never met my boss Jen Mansfield, who is now one of my career mentors. Don’t be discouraged, rejection from one internship can point you in the direction of what’s the best fit for you.
Applying for internships can be scary, but once you get started you will learn so much. Go outside of your comfort zone and get ready to learn! Interning is an integral part of the college experience and will help your career growth. If you fall down, get right back up and keep going because the end result will be more than worth it.
This blog post was written by Account Associate Brianna Greco.
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