Hello everyone! I am currently over halfway done with my internship at the Irish Academy of Public Relations in Dublin. It is hard to believe I am almost done, the time has gone so fast! Since my last blog post, I have been participating in a couple amazing projects. I got to create a testimony video about my internship experience, which the Academy is going to be featuring on their new website. The best aspect about this project is that I got to work on the video with three other interns within the company. I have also been working with my supervisor to create a summer social media campaign regarding putting down deposits for the Academy’s fall courses. I have been super busy, but it has all been very rewarding!
Over the course of my internship, I have had the opportunity to grow in a number of different skills. One soft skill that I have developed most during my internship is collaboration. Group/team work is always something I had never looked forward to. I knew this was a skill I was going to have to get better at. My position at the Academy has allowed me to meet and collaborate with a variety of individuals. In fact, there wasn’t a day of this internship where I didn’t collaborate with someone. Whether it is my supervisor or another intern, I am always discussing ideas with others. Two great examples of this are the two projects I mentioned in my introduction. Myself and three other interns were able to create multiple videos for the Academy to feature on their website and social media. They also helped me brainstorm new social media ideas, and we have also been holding intern Instagram takeovers, which require their collaboration. I have found that being able to bounce ideas around and discuss topics make a job much easier. It is great to hear other people’s perspectives and take their views into consideration. After all, we want to make sure our content is appealing to a multitude of individuals.
Another soft skill I have had the chance to develop is my creativity. I never really considered myself a creative person. It seems a little ironic considering my career path is all about creativity! When it comes to content creation, creativity is key. Making your content stand out among millions is essential when it comes to running a business. When my supervisor first told me about the summer social media campaign, I was nervous that I wasn’t going to be able to create what she was envisioning. She wanted witty, creative posts that would catch the viewer’s attention. After working hard on a variety of posts – I was able to create new content that I believed was creative and effective. I pushed my boundaries and went out of my comfort zone. I discovered that I might have a lot more creativity in me than I originally thought. I am thankful that my creativity has been put to the test, as I know it is essential to the career I hope to pursue.
Graphic design (graphics) is one hard skill I have grown in during my internship. Creating graphics is basically my whole job! Since this is my first internship, I never had the opportunity to create graphics with a purpose before this. Using Canva, I have been able to explore and experiment with graphic design. I have created a variety of graphics including Instagram posts, Instagram and Facebook stories, header and videos. Since I am creating these for a business, the graphics always need to portray a certain message and be visually pleasing. I feel like I have learned a lot about what kinds of posts people respond to and enjoy. Trial and error was needed, but that’s how we learn!
My global competencies have also helped me in my position. The Irish Academy is not just seeking students from Ireland. They are seeking students from all around the world! Social media has allowed the entire world to connect in one place. Coming from the United States where a lot of trends are focused, I was able to provide insight and new ideas. I was also able to chat with interns from Ireland and France, to see what they noticed most when it came to trends on social media. Making sure our posts appeal and effect all people is extremely vital.
Writing this post has helped me truly realize how much I have learned during my internship! I look forward to seeing how my skills continue to develop throughout my career. Until then, I will be enjoying the last few weeks of working with the Irish Academy!