By Taylor Lord
This post is bittersweet, as it signals the beginning of an end of an incredible experience. When I first applied for an internship at RLF Communications, I was interested in the hands-on learning and the opportunity to work on different accounts with industry professionals. I could have never imagined all the good times of laughing with my co-workers, playing with the dogs as they roam around the office or heading to the rooftop deck after a long day.
Don’t get me wrong – I didn’t spend the entire internship socializing. Through these short months, I worked on four different client accounts, gaining a greater understanding of what it means to be a PR professional. Each day is different – sometimes, I create media lists or research speaking opportunities. Other days, I write blog posts or find articles to share on Twitter.
RLF has made a lasting impact on my professional career. I began this semester knowing nothing about media relations. Now, I feel comfortable crafting targeted pitches and calling reporters to follow up on an idea.
The program is not an internship where you sit back and watch the professionals. You are expected to put in time and effort to achieve your clients’ goals. This semester, my peers think that I’m crazy when I tell them how I immediately go from my classes, drive for half an hour and then spend three to four hours at RLF.
As a full-time student who is involved in various organizations on campus and stressing about graduating in December, I’ll admit that it is hard to manage an internship during the semester. However, I absolutely love coming to work every day. The second that I step in the elevator to go to the RLF office, I feel as if I am making great strides in my future. Not to mention, my co-workers are pretty awesome, which helps a lot.
Interning at RLF has given me invaluable skills that I will continue to use as I move forward with my career. I am grateful to have spent time applying previously gained knowledge from a classroom setting to the real world, learning from talented professionals and assisting clients with their communication needs.
To anyone thinking of applying for the internship program, I highly recommend it – you won’t regret it!
