Think Outside of the Box

If you were to ask anyone in the PR field, "what do I need to do to get my foot into the industry?" the most popular response you will hear is "internships, internships, and more internships." Internships, whether paid or unpaid, are the most desirable way to get experience in an adequate amount of time. But when looking for internships, it's important to consider options outside of the box.

When I was first looking for an internship, I thought it was important to be very specific in what internship I would want to put my time into. One day, I was offered a chance to shadow one of my professors and this soon led to my very first internship. My professor was not just any old professor, he also owned a well-known wealth management firm by the name of the Cordasco Financial Network. I knew that by taking this internship, there was a high chance that I would not be dealing with anything PR- related. The internship that I was offered focused on stocks, bonds and mutual funds, hardly the traditional PR internship, especially when I want to be in fashion PR, however I still took the chance because I knew that it would be a great learning experience.

Through working at Cordasco Financial Network, I have been given the chance to produce radio work for the Big Money Show, a radio show that discusses everything and anything dealing with money, I have been asked to travel to New York City to sit in on a few radio shows and meet up with Charles Payne, a widely recognized journalist and the co-host of Varney & Co. I have even been able to work with the company’s PR group and shadow for a day. Even though I was not expecting to gain any type of PR experience through my internship, I ended up obtaining some great experiences.

It’s very important to try any and every type of internship because you never know what opportunities may await you. Don’t be closed off to different types of internships, especially the ones outside of your major. If you see opportunities that you think you can benefit from, don’t be afraid to ask if you can partake in them. Part of being successful in the PR industry is knowing when to put yourself out there and by taking risks.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Jummy Temidayo.