Thinking of kick-starting your career in Public Relations? One of the most common ways to break in to the industry is interning. However, how you make the most of your time and get the best experience is largely down to you. YM have put together a list of five essential tips and tunes that will help you get the most out of your internship.

♫ Listen ♫

At the beginning of your career you need to listen to every nugget of information being thrown your way, think of yourself as a very dry sponge. You will be working with a team of people who have years or even decades of experience in the industry. When they give you advice or critique your work it’s because they want to pass their knowledge on to you so listen up and take the advice on board.

♫ Say something ♫

You are not just another cog in the machine and the agency who has invited you to be part of their team want you to bring your ideas to the table, so speak up! Interning is the time to impress your new team, show them what you have to offer in terms of ideas and innovation. Your ideas may not always be great at the start but don’t be afraid to express yourself and let your voice be heard.

♫ R-E-S-P-E-C-T ♫

One of the best quotes from the Disney classic, Bambi is ‘If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothin’ at all’. Listen to Thumper and apply this rule to your internship. You have been given a great opportunity to learn in an experienced environment from industry experts, don’t mess it up for yourself by being sassy.

Knowledge of the media landscape is something that PR professionals develop over time. Nobody would expect a new intern to know the names of every editor in the country although it would certainly impress. Try and familiarise yourself with the media landscape, from publications to blogs, so you can actively contribute to planning campaign objectives.

♫ Werk-werk-werk ♫

‘Resting on your laurels’ is something a good PR professional will never do. As an intern it’s important to push yourself. It’s the beginning of your career so proving yourself is the name of the game. Don’t get lazy, if you want to rise to the top you need to be willing to put in the hours because the rewards are oh so worth it.

YM