My PR Internship
By: Rachel Carroll
Tags: Internship Experience, Students, Public Relations, Internships, Public Relations Agency

My five highlights from interning at Make More Noise, a PR and marketing agency in Birmingham.

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to intern at Make More Noise, a PR and marketing agency in Birmingham for seven weeks whilst my university was closed for the summer. It is only now, sitting in my university bedroom contemplating all my deadlines, that I reflect upon what a truly amazing summer it has been.

Not only was I able to work with an array of interesting clients, stretching across various sectors (B2B and B2C), but working for a fast-paced, dynamic PR agency has helped me decide the career path I want to explore post-university.

Here then, are my top 5 highlights from interning at Make More Noise and why I strongly recommend ALL students undertake a summer or year-long industry placement during their university studies.

Enhancing my skills and knowledge

Since joining the agency, I have gained a wealth of knowledge and strengthened my communication and copywriting skills. From having no previous PR experience, I am amazed at how much I learned in such a short amount of time. I learned how to write a successful press release, pitch into the media, create a comprehensive media and awards list, and manage social media effectively, after leading both the agency’s and several client’s social media accounts.

Meeting talented PR professionals

When I started the internship in June, I never imagined that I would walk away seven weeks later with a support network of talented PR professionals. The team at Make More Noise are exceptional and I feel extremely lucky to have had the chance to work alongside them and delve into their creative, experienced brains. From my first day they made me feel extremely welcome, even whilst working remotely for the first five weeks, and it is thanks to them and their daily support why my experience was as great as it was.

Securing coverage in my final week

Everyone knows that the goal of a PR is to secure as much coverage as possible for their client and I never thought I would even get the chance to pitch to journalists let alone actually secure coverage! I was told afterwards by senior account manager Jane that you never forget your first coverage, and wow, was she right! It was the perfect end to a perfect couple of months.

Adapting into the office

Although working from home was invaluable and just as mentally stimulating as working in the office, it was great to experience office life in my final two weeks and meet the team in person and share ideas face-to-face, albeit at a distance. Moreover, it was extremely interesting to watch the team in action and witness first-hand how they engage with the media and their specific clients, enabling me to hone my own technique.

The best thing about office life though, above everything else, was getting to know individual team members on a more personal level, by going out for lunch and exchanging life stories.

Increasing my interest in PR

Finally, completing the internship and experiencing the daily activities of a PR professional first hand, I have become extremely passionate about public relations and communications, to the extent that I am now hoping to become an Account Executive when I graduate from university. As I truly believe there is no greater feeling than helping a business reach their highest potential knowing you had a part to play in their success.