By: Laura Johnson
This summer I had the pleasure of working at the largest public relations agency in the world, Edelman. During my 13-week experience at the Los Angeles office, I learned the ins and outs of being successful in the PR industry. Edelman cannot be compared to any other agency around. With the casual attire, free-flowing creative energy and bagel Fridays, Edelman is one of a kind in the PR world. This agency captures the attention of some of the biggest clients in the world including: Activision, HP and Starbucks. At this internship I was able to dive into the work and challenge my creativity and time management skills. Here are the top five essential lessons I learned during my time being an “Edeltern.”
1. Ask questions
It might feel weird reverting back to being a toddler again and asking “why” all the time, but that is truly the best way to learn. Ask if you can be included in different projects and if you can sit in on a client conference call. I was able to sit in on the brainstorm meeting for the new Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare launch, where I was also able to contribute ideas for the event. Finally, always ask for clarification if you don’t understand something.
2. Don’t have down time
Thirteen weeks may sound like a long time, but with E3, Comic Con and three video game launches, time really did fly! On days when I didn’t have any projects from the Activision client, instead of just enjoying the day off, I asked other accounts if there was any work an intern could complete. Doing this allowed me to work with clients like Glade, Sunkist and Shadows of Mordor.
3. Be helpful
Interns usually have no clue what is going on, so make sure to start your internship off right. Explore the office and know where everything is kept. Then, when the Senior Vice President needs an envelope, you can get it for him and start up a conversation about where you want to be in the future. Not a bad connection to make!
4. If you say you are going to do something, do it
People value reliability so when you are asked to do something, make sure you follow through by completing the project.
5. Be visible
Don’t just let your manager know what you are doing. I suggest having a weekly email to your manager and their boss. In this email, include what projects you worked on that week and what your goals are for next week. Leaders are often swamped with meetings and have little time to talk, so by sending a weekly email, they know you are accomplishing your tasks. It also makes it easier when asking for a recommendation if the leader knows what you actually worked on.