Internships can be all about exploration! Sarah Collins, a news media major, decided to take an internship at a traditional public relations agency.
What was your internship experience?
My internship experience was a really growing experience for me. Although I am in the news media program at BYU, I decided to try my hand at public relations. This company is a traditional public relations agency. As the intern, I was given the opportunity to learn from and directly work with account managers for clients. Most of my tasks consisted of me researching media personnel and reaching out to journalists to ensure coverage for the clients of the agency.
What was the most useful thing you learned from your internship?
The most useful thing I learned from my internship was the business side of the media. I have learned so much about how the media interacts with one another and how journalists receive their pitches.
What professional skills did you develop in your internship?
Working in teams, organization, public speaking, multitasking, and client relationships. Research and writing were two of the biggest tools I used in this internship. My courses at BYU have taught me how to be an efficient and persuasive writer to receive the results I am looking for. Additionally, without the research methods I had been taught, I would not have had the ability to do this internship.
Would you recommend this internship to other students?
If you are interested in working in the most traditional and basic type of public relations that an agency provides, I would recommend this internship. If you are like me and like a little more creative license in working, this internship would be a little challenging, but still good for developing your work ethic. You will learn how to find media contacts, how to pitch and get client coverage in major media outlets, and work in teams.
