Tag Archive for: business

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Internships – Are they really worthwhile?

The importance of internships is discussed frequently at university by lecturers but is it really that important to undertake one?

I believe it is. I have just started an internship at Ignite and already I can see the advantages. 

There are so many benefits to be gained from internships but the most important is the real world experience you garner.  Everything I am learning will help me with my studies and when I enter the workforce I will be more prepared than other graduates. 

Taking on an internship allows you to decide if a job is suited to you and if it is the career path you really want to follow, which is especially important to decide before you finish your degree and obtain a job that you might not enjoy. 

Internships allow you to finally apply all the knowledge and practical skills you’ve had drilled into you during lectures in a real work setting. 

Nothing can beat the experience and reference you gain during an internship and as a bonus it looks excellent on a resume.  In addition, employers are more likely to employ a graduate that has practical experience over another who simply has a degree. 

Internships are also a great confidence booster.  After gaining real world experience in the industry and the skills and knowledge that follow, you’re immediately going to be more confident when you graduate and go through the process of finding a job.  Just knowing you have some relevant experience behind you gives you an edge.  Internships also become great networking opportunities. 

I’ve only been at my internship for a couple for weeks, but I’ve already had the chance to undertake activities which if I was working in the industry I would be responsible for on a regular basis.  For example I have written media releases, business appointments and undertaken pitching and following up.  I have gained real word experience on public relations activities and I have observed how a standard day would operate for a practitioner. 

My experience is strictly from a public relations field but I believe that internships are valuable in any industry. No university degree can give you the same experience an internship can. 

If you have the time and get the opportunity while at university to undertake an internship I highly recommend it, I promise you that you will see the benefits.

Maximising the client lurrve…

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In the PR and marketing game the relationship between the agency and the client is paramount. Client satisfaction and maintaining this status quo is the lifeblood of a consultancy and account managers work extremely hard to ensure success. It can be both rewarding and (if we are honest) down-right frustrating at times but with passion for PR as our driver we ‘fight the good fight’ day after day.

Each client is different and there is not a one size fits all approach for client management but there are a few basic criteria both the agency and client can fulfil to gain the maximum potential from the partnership.

Honesty is the best policy

Like in any relationship honesty is the cornerstone of trust and this approach is important to ensure clients get the best advice from an agency, and the agency knows what the client expects. Clients often think they know best but if you can honestly advise against an idea and recommend something that will work better; you will build stronger longer standing trust between both parties.

Regular communication

The more we know about a client the better we can do our job but in today’s busy world this can be hard. It takes effort and attention. The rule of thumb I spruik is contact with a client at minimum three times week and at least one face-to-face meeting a month.  This helps to ensure the agency is considered an integral element of a client’s communications team, and it provides all the fodder necessary for great idea development and thus good results.

Trust your instinct

If you sense something is up it generally is, and this is where tip one is vital. Be honest, talk to the client and ask them if there is an issue they want to discuss. Clients find it refreshing. It shows you care about them and the business. In most cases it results in solving a minor problem rather than a large one.

Be creative

In this business creativity is part of the foundation of success so it pays to have regular brainstorms to keep the ideas and initiative flowing. This can be a fun exercise to do with clients as well.

Follow these simple rules and the love will flow.

– Trina McColl, Managing Director