As my time has come to an end in not only my internship, but
my life as a public relations and marketing uni student I look back and see the
huge levels of growth I have achieved. This has been academically and as a
person. Three years ago I never thought that the end of my university life
would have flown past so quickly. The study of public relations has given me a
vision on what I want to achieve as a practitioner. During my internship this
was just consolidated. These points were as follows:
·
Ethical practice is key. Some situations you are
placed in are uncomfortable. The ethical handling of them may not be the
easiest, but the long-term benefits outweigh the short run uncomfortable
feeling you may have. In three years time will you remember that one Monday morning
you were stuck in a sticky situation? You may however remember key ethical
situations you handled well, helping your personal development as a public
relations officer. Looking back at your career at 50 you would be proud of
yourself if you upheld the highest ethical integrity you were able to achieve.
·
Do not write something you would not want your
grandmother to read. Yes, as cheesy as this sounds it is a great principle to
go by. Every single email you send, media release you write or newsletter
publication is out in the public domain for anyone to read. It is stamped with
your name on it. With the world becoming ever more tech savvy it is becoming
easier for potential employers to find out what you’ve been up to. This goes
for the world of social media as well!
·
Pick a career path you will enjoy. This is key
to enjoying your job in a public relations role. I have found through my
placement that government departments are where I would like my future to be.
Health industry would be ideal, but depends what opportunities I am faced with.
You will hold a higher level of passion for your work. This ultimately
motivates you to put in those few extra hours or write a great strategy or
media release.
Overall I feel that doing a public relations internship was
the best thing for my future career ahead. It gave my guidance, assertiveness and
motivation to what career path I would like to pursue. My confidence levels
rose in my ability to implement public relations skills. Before my internship I
was nervous to face the “big world”. Now I feel that I am ready for the next
stage of my life, including the great career PR will bring.
Good luck to everyone and I hope that your internships were
as helpful as mine!
