The concept of internships is a good one. From the beginning internships have been a great way for public relations students (and most other students for that matter) to learn how to apply the theory and practices studied in the classroom to real-life situations. And while experience isn’t all there is to sound public relations education, it remains a critical component.

In fact “The Professional Bond,” a recent report by the Commission on Public Relations Education, continues to characterize supervised work experience as an essential part of good public relations education.

Good internships require that interns be doing work that is of value to organizations. Without this, internships have little value for the intern or the organization.

Earlier this year PRSA issued a set of guidelines for the ethical use of interns clarifying its position that it is ethically wrong to employ interns who add real value to an organization or employer without compensating them for their work. However, as a recent Reuters’ story about older interns shows, some organizations still aren’t playing by the rules.

Continue reading " Young or Old, PR Interns Play Invaluable Role "

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. That seems to be the case with the burgeoning debate in the U.S. and UK over the ethical use of interns.

When PRSA released its intern guidelines in early February, we had no idea we’d be on the leading edge of what has become a full-fledged, global call to action to abolish the use of unpaid interns.

What started with a BBC expose of the fashion PR industry’s pervasive use of unpaid interns has spread to mainstream notice in the U.S. Just last weekend, New York Times op-ed contributor Ross Perlin wrote a scathing attack of American college’s complicit role in “helping companies skirt a nebulous area of labor law” by working hand-in-hand with businesses seeking cheap skilled labor.

Mr. Perlin cites the public relations profession as one of many industries that routinely hires unpaid interns. PRSA has made clear its belief that it is unethical for PR firms to not provide some type of compensation for interns, whether monetary or via college credit.

This is in line with some of the industry’s leading thinkers. Writing in a recent editorial, PRWeek editor Danny Rogers said “unpaid interns do [the public relations] industry a disservice.” We couldn’t agree more. In fact, I said as much when I wrote about this subject in my last PRSAY post.

Continue reading " PR Must Remain Vigilant Advocate for Interns’ Rights "

As part of PRSA’s unveiling of industry guidelines for the ethical use of interns, we asked five recent public relations interns to blog about their experiences — good or bad — and offer ideas on how the profession can better prepare interns for the rigors of full-time employment. This is the third and final post in the series.

What helps you land the best job possible in this highly competitive market? There is no doubt that padding your resume with various internship experiences can help you get a leg up, but what experiences really help you when it comes to talking up experience in the interview?

As a recent graduate, former intern and a new professional I have been able to reflect on these questions, and I know all too well what works and what doesn’t. I also know that with the increasing pressure placed on students to be involved in school and extracurricular activities, it can be difficult to take time out of a paying job and devote it to an internship. That is part of the reason why virtual internship are on the rise.

Continue reading " The Internship Experience: Harsh Reality of Virtual Internships "

As part of PRSA’s unveiling of industry guidelines for the ethical use of interns, we asked five recent public relations interns to blog about their experiences — good or bad — and offer ideas on how the profession can better prepare interns for the rigors of full-time employment. This is the second post of a planned three-part series.

Today’s posts come from PRSSA members Rachel Sprung and Kimberly Ciesla.

Rachel Sprung:

Before interning at a PR agency, I prided myself on my ability to multitask and complete tasks in a timely manner. However, being immersed on multiple teams in an agency brought my abilities to an entirely new level.

Continue reading " The Internship Experience: The Art of Juggling (Responsibilities) "

As part of PRSA’s unveiling of industry guidelines for the ethical use of interns, we asked five recent public relations interns to blog about their experiences — good or bad — and offer ideas on how the profession can better prepare interns for the rigors of full-time employment. This is the first post of a planned four-part series. Today’s posts come from PRSA members Kion Sanders and Joshua Romero.

Kion Sanders:

If I weren’t able to work under amazing PR professionals as an intern, I’m not sure I would be as knowledgeable as I am now. Learning something new in class is great, but nothing replaces on-the-job training. As a student, I completed three internships. Immediately following graduation, I started my career as a post-graduate intern with a well-respected agency. I found this experience to be valuable because I wanted experience in various areas of public relations. Towards my senior year, I knew I would pursue an agency but wasn’t too sure which practice group would be best.

Interning with the mayor’s office of Charlotte quickly taught me the importance of ROI (return-on-investment). PR programs touch on this topic, but it’s much harder to fully understand ROI and its metrics when you’re in a classroom. Rebuttals from legal and objections from the finance team were common hiccups the mayor’s communications team faced. To get a program approved, the communications team had to present measurable goals, and this simple (yet extremely important) method made an everlasting impression on my internship experience.

Continue reading " The Internship Experience: Learning ROI & Value of Failing "