We cordially invite you to your internship

Greetings, salutations, hello and welcome to this, my first reflective post for PR393. My name is Blair Limpitlaw and I am currently in my final semester of my Mass Communications degree at Curtin University Bently. Like so many students before me I decided to follow the tertiary path of Public Relations (PR). Recently I (like many of my fellow classmates) took on an internship with a not for profit organisation to help me gain real-world experience and an understanding of the industry. This blog will operate as a vessel for my thoughts, queries, and all manner of conundrums to be unpacked, evaluated and explored. I encourage you all to engage with me and my pilgrimage through the fast paced and exciting world of PR.

The first obstacle I had to overcome in my PR journey I encountered before I had even set foot in the door of my organisation! One of my biggest dilemmas was of course ‘what do I wear?’ This seemingly trivial decision which I manage every other day of the week was a topic that found me conflicted and anxious.

 First impressions are always important in the professional world. The way I was going to present myself on my first day could possibly set the tone for the entire duration of my placement.  Inappropriate work wear would make me appear sloppy and uninterested or, conversely, dressing excessively may position me as naïve or out of touch.  After much indecision and a personal fashion show held in my bathroom I settled on business pants a collared button-up shirt and tie. My reception was a pleasant one and my tidy appearance was appreciated. 

Throughout my first day I ran into other small hurdles of the professional world. Meeting new and important people like the president of the organisation, conducting professional phone calls, writing letters and emails to clients and producing press releases. All of these tasks required me to be vigilant in representing my organisation in a professional manner. For instance, I spent hours drafting, editing and re-writing press releases to ensure there were no spelling or grammar mistakes, they were addressed to the correct person at the relevant media institution, and the information I was alerting them of was 100 precent accurate.

There is no room for a lax approach to PR. Clients and fellow employees have a level of expectation which needs to be met in order to be successful. The transition from ‘uni student’ to a ‘PR professional’ is something I looked forward to and the reality of the professional world has made a huge impression on me. Fortunately I have been able to remain proficient and practiced in my communicating with clients and my fellow co-workers.  After years of sitting in a classroom wondering ‘is this really going to help me in the world outside of uni?’ it’s a great relief to see the things I have been taught in class – like formatting of press releases and letters etc. are helping me execute tasks within the real world of PR.