Diary of A Virtual Intern
As recorded by our first work experience intern, Katie Headley...
I graduated from University at the beginning of this summer and gradually I began the ever-challenging task of having to search for a job in the real world - made even harder by the current climate. I have previously worked for a marketing team and a PR agency. I really enjoyed both roles and found them very interesting, so these are definitely my starting point of what I want to do in the future.
I was put in contact with The PR Network by one of their previous clients, and the opportunity arose for me to do a week’s work with the agency, something which I was super keen to do to broaden my knowledge. However, as PRN is a virtual agency it would mean "meeting" the team via Zoom and working from my home. The previous work experiences I’ve done involved commuting into central London and going into an office with the rest of the team where I had a desk, a computer and anything else I might need. Luckily, the idea of working virtually wasn’t completely new for me (I completed my final 2 months of uni all online); nonetheless, joining a totally new team and never actually meeting anyone in person seemed a little strange! So I seized the opportunity to work with a different agency which is running UK & international PR campaigns for great brands including Purplebricks, SoundCloud, Snapchat and Zipcar.
I didn’t really know what to expect, in terms of whether I would be as productive as I would be if I was sitting in an office, or how easy it would be to ask questions if I was unsure - and most importantly, whether I’d get as much out of the week as I had hoped. However, after one or two technical hiccups (to be expected really!!) I got going and settled in very quickly. All the work was shared with me easily, and I very quickly forgot I was working from home.
I supported the core PRN team with a range of research and admin tasks working on clients such as Purplebricks, and I was also given the opportunity to sit in on (virtual!) team and client meetings to gain insight into strategy, planning and implementation.
This week with The PR Network highlighted to me how easy it can be to work virtually, and that it can be just as efficient as working together in an office, especially when a video chat is only a few clicks away to smooth out any issues!
I would like to say a big thank you to The PR Network for taking me on board as their first work experience intern, hopefully a successful experiment for both parties! I believe it has been an invaluable week, not only in preparing me to work from home, something I’m sure will become the new norm, but also the wealth of knowledge in the team that has been shared with me. I'm hoping to apply this experience to my next role, and I can be contacted via LinkedIn (see below).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-headley-3276171b1/ / @katieheadley_
#workexperience #internship #pr #comms #virtualagencies