Seeking Clarity: In the beginning...

The first day of an internship is almost an adult simulation of the first day of high school.

A new office with new faces, new computer systems to learn, new methods to memorise, a new adventure. 

Throughout the course of this year I’ve had contact with Kellie Hasluck, Director of Clarity Communications, previously completing work experience with Ability Centre, a not for profit organisation Clarity was working alongside in a rebrand. 

I’d arranged to commence my internship program during the winter semester break with Kellie, in preparation for the PR Internship unit in the second semester. 

As it worked out, Kellie had a project already lined up for me that was due to commence in early June. 

I officially began my internship with Clarity in the study week of semester one, one week prior to my first of four exams for the first half of the year.

My schedule went from taking five subjects, working full time, work experience, and a full on competitive sport training schedule, to all of that and the commencement of my PR internship unit - I did manage to pass all exams. 

Kellie had arranged a Probono piece for a not-for-profit organisation called The International Coach Federation.

I would be working under the guidance of Kellie on an awareness strategy devised to increase the knowledge around the profession of coaching for the  Western Australian chapter of ICF. 

Due to having contact with Clarity earlier in the year, I was familiar with my surroundings. 

This decrease the time Kellie had to lead me around the office on day one.  

When I walked into the reception area of the glorious Clarity Communications I was lead straight into the board room where Kellie and I were due to present the strategy to the ICF leadership team. 

A daunting thought that I had just gone from a semester as a university student, to working with a director of a PR firm on a project and no unit coordinator to hold my hand on the first day. 

The meeting went extraordinarily well, in fact the leadership team were impressed with the strategy and eager to jump on board.

At the end of the meeting, Kellie lead me to the upstairs office where the strategy team were seated all working hard at the individual and group projects they were assigned to.

Amy, Beth, Ellie, Kate and Andrew all became my knowledgable and quirky mentors through out what was to be three months of interning. 

All with their individual strengths, bringing them together to be the successful strategy team that they are. 

First thing was first: The wicked and wild world of social media and content planning. 

My first task to complete was research on the topic of coaching, ICF, and other organisations in Perth.

As I discovered it is important to take time to brainstorm and plan approaches to each task conducted. 

I suppose as students we have a million and one things happening at once, meaning in a university setting, the sooner we can commence and complete a task the better.

What this lesson taught me from a busy PR Firm perspective was that, as expected, each piece of work must be signed off before progression. 

Lesson one was learnt. ‘Perfection before progression’. 

Kellie gave me the right amount of time and guidance to ask questions when uncertain, but enough room to explore, to be challenged and to try and learn on my own.

My first content plan was hilarious. 

We had created them as an assessment piece at uni, but that was textbook based, now what I created reflected a brand here in Perth, but it was also linked to an international brand, where the content generated could have affect  globally.

Andrew, head of the strategy team, was patient throughout this process. 

He gave me advice and sent me back to work. 

I'd bring a new schedule, and he took the time to sit with me and give constructive criticism on things that worked well, things that could be improved and why. 

Working in the office in my first week reinforced the importance of the why question. 

Why do you do it this way? Why is this the result? The clarity team took the time to explain at every question. 

My task was to design a way that we could create an online presence, through both social media and potentially a blog, to guide members of the ICF and potential client without linking them back to the Australasia site that was not working.

We decided that we would get around this kink in the road though designing a Wix page where members could post blogs, have member profiles, a page that would serve as a content hub.

Then we would generate a Facebook page aimed at the target market of potential clientele searching for accredited coaches throughout the Perth area. 

The content Hub: 

Kellie and I decided on a Wix site as it would be the easiest form of a website/blog site, that the ICF members could take control of and maintain at the end of my internship program.

Together we collaborated ideas and came up with the following information that would be needed for the site. 

- Home page/about page - This would provide instant information about ICF, link straight to the blog site and contact site.

- Blog page: This would give insight into the world of coaching, describing stories, members and coaches so that clientele could relate to the information.

- A contact page - This was essential to driving the target market into action as the web page for Australasia did not provide potential clientele with this information. 

I devised a site map and a content plan within my first week and a half. All I needed was to be signed off and I could begin the adventure of piecing it all together.