Written by Tanya Petrikina
While in school we learn about various opportunities offered to us by nonprofits, local businesses, corporate firms, and agencies to grow as a PR professional. While at times internships don’t sound exciting, especially if you have a lot of financial responsibilities, it is by far one of the best ways to explore the industry, gain experience, network with experts, and learn new skills; all that while having minimal repercussions for doing something wrong.
“It’s okay, you are an intern, you are just learning.”
I had an opportunity to gain insight from Haley Hale, a PR intern at the Obsidian Public Relations Firm of what a day in the life of a PR intern looks like and why they are so important to students.
Q: What does your typical day look like?
“No day in the Public Relations field ever really looks the same. Obsidian has such a wide variety of clients, and I’ve gotten to assist on a few different accounts. Normally I start my day off by checking my emails. Then I move on to checking out the assignments that I have due for the day and future assignment I have to work on. My tasks vary from day-to-day.” Hale also said that as an intern her responsibilities are to help assist the team in any way she can – whether it’s writing, researching, or conducting some social media work.
Q: What skills have you learned during your internship?
“There are so many things that I have learned from my time at Obsidian. First, I have sharpened my writing skills. I have also grown my skill in the social media area. I think learning from experience is so great. I can learn about theories and tools and tactics for the field in classes, but I’m someone who learns best from doing. I’m so thankfully that Obsidian has given me the chance to do that. I’ve also been able to learn a lot from the experiences team members have told me about. It’s really been an incredible opportunity.”
Q: What are the most critical skills for a PR intern?
“One skill that I’ve found really critical is having strong writing skills. I think I do some type of writing every single day. It’s also good to have your AP style book with you while you’re writing.”
Q: Why are PR internships important for college and graduate students?
“I think internships in general are important because they help you get that real world experience. They give you opportunities to go out and actually use what you’re learning in a classroom. They can also help you gauge whether the field your internship is in is actually something you could see yourself doing.”
While being an intern, Hale is also a graduate student and a graduate assistant at the Department of Journalism and Strategic Media at the University of Memphis. Hale’s advice to those interested in PR internships is to always send that email or LinkedIn message. “Always apply for that internship that you have your eye on,” said Hale. “Internships are such a great learning tool.” You can also check her blog post about her internship journey with Obsidian here.