Benefits of an In-House Internship

Interning for a museum this summer has been great, and has offered a lot of different experiences than when I interned at an agency. Interning with an agency is great, especially if the agency works with a wide range of clients. When I interned at an agency, it definitely helped me figure out what kinds of clients I'd like to work with later on in my career. Now that I'm in-house at a museum, I've noticed a few perks that are harder to find on the agency side of things:

• Smaller teams: The PR or communications department tend to be on the smaller side of things. This is great, because it allows you to meet and make connections with more people during your internship! Seeing the same three or four faces every time you come into the office makes the name and title game a lot less stressful.
• Inter-department support: In smaller in house settings, like at a museum, the PR department isn't just working to support and promote itself, it also has to consider the efforts of other departments. For a PR intern, this is your chance to see how other departments, like development for example, work and thrive. Knowing those extra facts are sure to be a great talking point in your next relationship.
• Access to the top: When you intern at a large agency, you may only interact and spend time with your internship coordinator or direct supervisor. As an intern, you should try and get a glimpse of what everyone does, especially supervisors and directors! Now that I'm in-house, the office of the head of my department is right across from my cubicle, and I'm always free to stop in!
• Work to go around: Smaller teams usually have a million things to do in a short amount of time, so having interns around helps get the work done faster. On a smaller in-house team, employees are usually more than willing to share some of their daily responsibilities, which is the best way to learn - by jumping in and doing it!

Have you ever had an in-house internship or job? What did you like most about it?