A Great Internship: My Time at the Hive

A good public relations internship should teach you the basics: how to write a news release, pitch and media alert; create media lists in Vocus or Cision; monitor the media; and, of course, how to use a copy machine, make coffee and answer phones. A great internship should teach you how to keep a positive attitude when work gets tough, work well with co-workers, have a healthy work/life balance and trust your instincts. My internship with Beehive PR was a great internship.

In order to be successful as a public relations intern, you have to work long hours, be intensely competitive and try not to cry when you’re being criticized by unforgiving supervisors. Or at least that’s what I thought. The first time I walked into Beehive for an informational interview, I was welcomed with smiling faces and a genuine interest in me. Any worries or reservations I had quickly went away.

These are just a few things I learned during my great internship at Beehive PR…

A Good Attitude Goes a Long Way.

Working in public relations, especially working with the media, can be very stressful. It’s so important to keep a positive attitude, work hard and lean on your team to get through the stressful times.

Learning how to keep a positive attitude during stressful times has helped me so much in my professional AND personal life.

Work Hard. Play Hard.

“Work/Life Balance” has been a buzz phrase for as long as I can remember. It seems to be something that every agency strives for, but only a few actually pull off.

Beehive pulls it off.

I loved having the opportunity to go to yoga class during lunch or leaving a bit early if I was going out of town – I just knew I had to work extra hard during the day to make sure I got all my work done if I wanted to take advantage of these perks. I think it’s really unique to have an agency that trusts their employees so much. And obviously it pays off (see awards/recognition).

Speak Up and Trust Your Instincts.

About a month into my internship I joined a meeting about content strategy with a team that – to this day – is one of the smartest groups I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with. I was intimated, but the team wanted everyone’s opinions – including mine. As I gained more confidence, I was able join in the conversation and share my thoughts.

I learned so much by becoming part of the meeting instead of simply being a spectator. I don’t think I would have had as a successful internship without speaking up.

What’s Next?

As my time at the Hive came to the end, I had to decide what I wanted to do next. Thankfully, I had a supportive team surrounding me who was willing to help out. Each person, no matter how busy, took the time to meet with me and give me advice.

I interned at the Hive December through June of 2011. And over three years later, the lessons I learned from the Beehive PR team still influences how I work each day. I would not be where I am today without the guidance and support of that amazing team.