From my initial ‘Intro to the team’ meeting, I knew the internship I was about to embark on would be something I would never forget. Seeing the faces of the team, with such a range of backgrounds and expertise, I knew Liberty was not just ‘another’ PR agency.
Despite some initial difficulties when joining the meeting (Zoom and I have never had a brilliant relationship!) everyone was extremely helpful in helping me find my feet as we reminisced on life before the pandemic and shared experiences of the transition to WFH.
Over the course of the week, I received valuable insights from the team regarding their day-to-day tasks and how they navigated their workloads. I received several training sessions from different team members and their willingness to put time aside to answer my questions was greatly appreciated, and I really enjoyed learning about Liberty’s range of clients and their respective needs.
I particularly appreciated my call with the US team, where I was able to probe the different approaches, methods and culture to PR over the pond. I cannot thank everyone enough for their patience and enthusiasm, taking time out of their day to virtually walk me through PR tools such as Meltwater and Response Source.
The autonomy I was granted during the internship was extremely empowering. By Monday lunchtime I felt a genuine sense of belonging within the world of Public Relations, with terminology such as ‘by-lines’ and ‘thought leadership’ regularly appearing in my emails.
The opportunity to really get stuck in gave me the confidence that, despite my previous lack of experience within industry, a career in PR was far more possible and accessible than I had once believed. Additionally, the internship experience also illuminated the sheer breadth and variety of responsibilities involved. It’s not just a case of monitoring the media. Roles in PR are unbelievably dynamic. It goes without saying that pragmatism and transparent communication are ‘must-haves’.
One task I really immersed myself in was vigilantly scanning the news for stories that could impact clients. Alongside this, I also performed a range of tasks to truly grasp everything that careers in PR entail: identifying opportunities to pitch commentaries, mediating relationships, promoting content on social media.
These are a handful of the varying responsibilities the world of PR has to offer, and I was fortunate enough to encounter all of these over the course of my placement. In particular, I have to thank Erin for her unwavering patience and commitment to my development over the course of the week. Our morning debriefs always gave me a sense of belonging and that even if I was unsure how to approach a task, there was a whole team around me willing to help.
One task that was particularly memorable was constructing a blog on my favourite innovation in tech, where I enjoyed the opportunity to deploy my honed research and analytical skills alongside my passion for producing written content.
I found this incredibly valuable in helping me to adapt my style of writing, transitioning from producing formal, long-winded essays to developing succinct content for a blog. Erin’s assistance in enhancing my CV was also greatly beneficial, as well as the insights she and James shared on their own experiences within the world of PR and the various career paths it can entail.
Before I knew it, it was Friday afternoon, and I was catching up with James for an ‘end-of-week’ review. As I submitted some final commentaries I had drafted for a client, I reflected on how much I had learnt within such a short space of time. I had gone from feeling like a novice to curating a sense of belonging working in a PR agency.
I cannot express how grateful I am to everyone at Liberty for making this possible. Whilst there is plenty of debate regarding the global shift to WFH, I cannot deny that without this transition it is unlikely I would have been able to experience such an immersive and accessible learning opportunity. I am sure that our paths will cross again, and I can guarantee with absolute certainty that the skills I have developed and lessons I have learned will stay with me forever.
