A day in the life of a PR Intern

Now that I have returned from my mid-semester break in Italy and exams are over, the second half of my program is finally here! Boston University's London Program is split into two parts: the first five weeks I went to two classes from 9-1 Monday to Thursday. For the next eight weeks, I will be taking one class, Seminar in Advertising Strategy, on Mondays, and working as an intern at a firm appropriate to my major.

I started work last Tuesday at a small media PR firm here in London. Thanks to my summer internship last year, the office environment is not new to me, but the cultural differences are much more prevalent than expected. Every morning I arrive and read through all the daily newspapers (which I have had to research extensively in order to catch up on UK culture!). Everyone enjoys a cup of tea and biscuits before rushing off to our desks, which are arranged in specific way so we can discuss and bounce ideas between each other throughout the day. I am working on small projects that the account managers need help with, such as researching potential new business clients, making press cuttings from relevant newspaper articles, calling agents and journalists, and secretarial tasks such as binding, copying, and answering the phones. It has been quite an adjustment from the lecture environment I am used to, as I have never worked in a PR firm before. That being said, I can tell that interning will give me more cultural exposure than my classroom of american students, and I am excited to get to know everyone I work with.

The theory we learn in the classroom is not nearly as applicable as I would have thought. Success within the office tends to be more focused on applying practical knowledge about a company, product or individual. I am learning fast in order to keep up, but I am excited that the office is busy, potentially a sign of a better economy. Although I sometimes feel out of my league, I have learned that asking questions is better than messing up, and in general, most of my co-workers are incredibly friendly and willing to help me out.