MyTern: Top 5 Tips for Interns
Having worked at an integrated marketing agency for over five months I have picked up some key skills and learnt how best to apply them along the way. In an attempt to share this knowledge with future aspiring interns I thought it would be a good idea to shed some light on what it means to be an intern at Carswell Gould.
Despite the perception that interns just make tea all day, your internship is really moulded by you. By taking on opportunities that are sent your way (which still includes making a tea or two for the partners Gill Gould, or Ed) you soon settle into full time work and as time goes on your responsibilities grow.
So here are my top five tips for interning at Carswell Gould:
Blog
When being an intern write about everything you do. It not only shows people the improvements in your writing ability, but also gives them information about what you are learning while doing work, making it easier to tailor your experience. Whether it be a write up of a photo shoot you assisted with, or a talk you have been a part of, blogs are a great way to showcase the jobs you have done.
Here are a couple of blogs I have written since I have started at Carswell Gould.
“MyTern to see That’s The Way To Do It 2”
here
It is important to have a running dialogue of all the great things you do while on a placement but it is also key that you find creative ways to deliver as much useful content as you can to demonstrate what is going on in the industry and your company.
Be active on social media
It is a given that you will already have social media skills, but mastering it while on your placement is a key to intern success. Be active and don’t be afraid to use social media as a tool to promote things you and the agency have been working on.
I personally created a work Twitter account (@tetleywork) and have been very active with my tweeting and communicating with people from agencies that I have met, while helping my colleagues with gathering research. For example, I used Twitter to help Ed with research for his talk on the Plastic Brain and managed to get some high profile answers to the question ‘where do you get your inspiration from?”
Another useful social media site to take advantage of is LinkedIn where building up a strong account can be very useful for research purposes and getting connected with other influencers and agencies. LinkedIn also works as an online CV, so by uploading content you are able to make your account look better, which could help you with future employments. Thinking long term is definitely important when considering interning.
When using social media, it is key you take note of current trends or stories so you can find ways of working them into your experience. And if you find something worth mentioning make sure that you do, as it could prove useful to clients..
Network
This personally is one of the skills which I have found the most important and I will be continuing it when I return to university. Talking to people in the industry has helped me develop my skills and find what employers are looking for in employees. I have personally built up a relationship with people from several agencies through networking who I will keep in touch with.
I believe networking is the key to career progression.
There are lots of great networking opportunities around Southampton for all industries. For example, ShareUp is a networking opportunity set up by Moov2 that has a focus on content creation. It is a great way to build up relationships with people in the industry in a non-formal environment.
Get to know your colleague
The advantage of doing an internship in a small agency is that you get to work closely with the team and build relationships with your colleagues. By building these friendships you are able to get tips and help from them. This is also very important for development because you are able to get mentoring from experienced PR professionals in a working environment.
In order to do this, it is important that you are not afraid to be outgoing and chatty. Before I started my year, I thought working with Carswell Gould would be a very formal setting and I would be afraid to converse with my colleagues. But as I began to feel more comfortable and mature to my role I began to build friendships with my colleagues and now feel comfortable asking them for help if I have any problems.
Get to know your bosses
Although bosses can often seem scary, getting to know them is key to success within a small agency. Being their go-to-person means you will be given a lot more work and will have a more fulfilling experience. The best way to do this is to try to make their life as easy as possible, although this may mean making them coffee or running to the shop for them as they are too busy. But in the long run you stand to gain a lot more by having conversation with them.
Just by offering to sit in on a meeting and take notes for your boss you are able to get involved in interesting projects. By putting yourself forward and offering to help with research you are opening the door to being offered more work in the future. By making suggestions on how you can help them with their work you are showing that you can think creatively. Building a relationship with the management can often work in a ‘Mr Miyagi’ fashion as you begin to learn things along the way and get to experience first hand what goes on at the highest level of the company.
Getting stuck in at an intern level shows how committed you are to learning and developing your skills. It’s the moment you realise that it is not up to anyone else to make this experience a success, but yourself. It is vital you take on as much as you can but complete the job to the best of your ability. Be confident in everything you do for the organisation. Don’t be embarrassed to share ideas, concerns and work you have done. Taking pride in your work showcases how seriously you have taken the opportunity to work in the industry you desire.
