From Internship to Full Benefits
This past Thursday, Feb. 16, I stepped out of my internship and into the role of account coordinator at HMA. Needless to say, it was a great day. That morning, Abbie S. Fink sent me a video that was remarkably relevant to my current situation—something she is prone to do!
This video is from a PRGN partner in Philadelphia., Buchanan Public Relations. In it, Lesley, one of the company’s account coordinators, talks about how she transitioned from Buchanan’s intern to account coordinator.
Lesley’s first bit of advice is to make sure you feel as though the company is a good fit for you. From there, make professional and personal connections with coworkers and make sure that the work that you’re assigned is complete, formatted correctly and turned in on time—if not early! Most importantly, she stresses attention to detail. This will show that you’re giving it a solid effort and will in turn make the account executive’s job a bit easier.
During my internship, I found all of what she has advised to be true. I began to compare what her tips were to another article online from The Balance. Much of what Lesley said lined up with the article’s tips, as well …
- Make a good impression: Take the time to learn about the company’s mission and its values in order to assimilate with the corporate culture.
- Develop professional goals: Find an internship that will help you achieve your professional goals, helping you to become a more competitive candidate.
- Develop a strong relationship with your supervisor: Check in frequently to make sure you’re upholding his/her expectations.
- Develop a strong work ethic: This goes without saying—the more you invest, the more you will reap in returns.
- Complete assigned projects on time: And if you’re struggling with that, notify your superior and ask for some input or an extension. Be prepared to explain your reasoning.
- Follow company rules—this includes guidelines: This includes the small but still important stuff like dress code, lunch breaks, personal emails, phone calls and internet use.
- Show initiative: Show enthusiasm and attend workshops and seminars that will help increase your understanding of the business.
- Join a professional organization (PRSA, anyone?): This is a great opportunity to network with other employees and companies working within the field.
I left out a few tidbits so as to not overwhelm you—you get the picture! However, there are two things I feel strongly about that weren’t mentioned.
First off, ask questions. This was something I struggled with at first. I didn’t want to come off as incompetent. After struggling with a task for the good part of a day, I asked one of our senior account executives if there was an easier way to do this assignment. There sure was! That experience left me feeling sillier for not having asked the question in the first place—a valuable lesson learned!
Secondly, be yourself. Again, this may take some time. I don’t think many people walk into a new job completely comfortable. But don’t lose sight of the fact that you were hired for a reason. Your input is a valuable asset to the team and serves as an opportunity for you to bring something new to the table.
So thank you, Lesley, for your video as it has served as the inspiration behind this post along with a reminder of what good PR practice, or any practice, is made from!
