LIM College

Hey there! I can't believe it’s my last year here at LIM! I am currently in the midst of looking for my final internship for the Senior Co-op class. This is probably one of the most intense times I have experienced at LIM, mainly because of the very limited timeline and how much I want to make this an amazing experience for myself.

The Senior Co-op Internship is very different from what I’ve done before. It is very full on and requires four days of interning per week. I want to make sure the internship is something I am truly interested in, and I’m not just going to be spending time at some company where I am only gaining experience. After the internships I’ve had in the past, I have come up with some tips and perceptions based on my experiences.

First, I truly think the difference between interning two days a week and four days a week is tremendous. Your role is a lot lighter and you have less responsibility when you’re at a workplace for just two days. I think it’s completely worth it to do it as an experience or experiment to find out if a particular field or industry is the one for you because you’ll only be exposed to very surface layer tasks and responsibilities. But if you know your way around and are ambitious enough, you can see a lot of things that can further confirm your feelings toward the field.

To be honest, that’s really how I got into PR. Before I even started looking for a PR internship, I was warned in a friendly way by some of my older friends and classmates that the PR field was tough on interns and there was a lot of real work involved. But I knew I was really interested so I decided to try it out and explore it because I had nothing but free time during my sophomore year. (I adapted my proficient classes scheduling skill from my boarding school days, so I only had two days of classes almost every semester since sophomore year at LIM).

So my first PR internship experience leads to my second tip or observation. The workplace or working environment matters just as much as your interest in a field. I wasn't too happy about my first PR internship because the working environment wasn't very comfortable for me. I found it difficult to get along with some of my colleagues, but I still have gotten a lot from that internship. I took away a basic understanding of what I am getting myself into regarding the PR industry and also, most importantly, understanding how crucial a fun and energetic working environment is for me. That may not be at the top of your list of qualities for an internship or even a job, but to me that is a significant element.

I don't regret any of my career decisions so far. I believe everything has led up to what was supposed to happen, and if you’re reading this, I hope that you’re feeling the same. Every opportunity and internship is another experience for us to learn what works and what doesn't, which is why I am very appreciative toward LIM’s flexible scheduling that makes us able to intern and attend school simultaneously. I know it’s tough but what better way to gear ourselves up and figure out (okay it might only be a little bit, but that’s a start, no?) our career choice and path before heading into the real world?

Until next time…

Xoxo

Aaron