…a blog series by Anthony Cogswell
Get a good night’s sleep. Eat a healthy breakfast in the morning. Grab a cup of coffee on your way into the office. Dress well, work well. Do your best. Don’t forget to smile.
These are all things that people tell you before your first day at a new internship. And all of this advice feels encouraging, right up until the elevator doors open on your floor and you come to the unsettling realization that after all the effort you’ve put into college and gathering experience, you still wonder if you know enough.
My name is Anthony and I am the newest intern at The Fearey Group. I am a 22-year-old recent graduate with a BA in Public Relations. After completing my major and three college internships, I believed I had a complete understanding of the field of public relations.
I was wrong.
Sure, I can develop an effective communication plan and draft a press release, but after only a week interning at this agency it’s clear to me that there’s a lot more to it than that. Although my experience and education have given me a strong overall foundation in this field, I can tell that PR in an agency setting is a whole different animal. I have a lot to learn.
But the truth is, I don’t think I’m alone in my search to redefine my understanding of public relations. Even professionals who have been in the industry for years have trouble putting their finger on exactly how it works today. This is because PR has become a business of endless reinvention and progress.
The advent of digital technology and the way that it continually changes how we communicate is just one example of the many factors that contribute to the shifting definition of public relations. I think the only way to really know what this industry is all about is to actively learn, then adapt and evolve.
So here I am at the beginning of my journey. I have a long way to go. I have the opportunity to learn and grow in one of the most established agencies in Seattle. Over the next twelve weeks, I will record my experiences and insights as I learn the ropes and develop an understanding of what it means to practice public relations in an agency. It may have been three years or thirty years since you stood in my shoes, but it never hurts to take a look at where you started, how far you’ve come, and remember there’s always more to learn. Check back every Tuesday to see the world of public relations through an intern’s eyes.