Porter Novelli Intern Blog | PR Internships

Welcome to Porter Novelli’s Intern Blog. Our goal is to give you the tools you need to get started in the public relations industry. As a bonus, you get an inside look at what it’s like working at Porter Novelli. Stay tuned!  

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Celebrating our Interns on National Intern Day

Happy National Intern Day! Today, we’re celebrating National Intern Day in the United States and thanking each of our interns for their teamwork this summer. Here’s what a few of them have to say about their experience:

Jayson Swain, PN New York

“The best part of working at Porter Novelli is getting to see a for profit organization making social awareness a part of its business model. There are a lot of communications organizations and even nonprofits that are able to consult on things like socially responsible and purpose-driven work, but Porter Novelli is one of the few fostering that mindset from every tier of the company.” 

Jennifer Kerr (left) & Danielle Rebman (right), PN Washington, D.C. 

“Our favorite part of working at PN this summer has been experiencing new practices by working across many accounts in various industries with such a great team behind us. We’ve learned so much and have met wonderful people along the way!  PN has been a great place to grow and try new things.”

Katie Varan, PN Atlanta

“The best part of my internship this summer has been the opportunity to get hands-on experience doing what I learned in school. Everyone I’ve worked with is so helpful and supportive and it feels great to be a part of this team.”

Katy Bozich, PN Chicago

“The best part of my internship at PN has been contributing and working on a variety of clients and projects. I have gotten to be a part of so many fascinating projects such as influencer event planning, media audits, digital strategy development and so much more. Everyone at my office has done a wonderful job making me feel welcome and fostering an environment where I can really see myself growing as a young PR professional!”

Kristen Solomon, PN New York

“I was thrilled to move to the Big Apple to launch my career at such a special, purpose-driven agency. The best part of my internship is the joy of working on a spectrum of different accounts in oncology, rare disease, immunotherapy and vaccinations, learning from and working alongside some of the best and brightest in the business.”

Sheridan Holmes, PN Los Angeles

“The best part of my internship has been the opportunity to learn about the different roles in PR and having the chance to work directly on accounts. I love that I’m able to work on a few different projects, which allows me to experience the differences between practices, such as health and consumer. Another part of my internship that I love is the mentorship I have received by everyone in the Los Angeles office. They have provided me a very supportive learning environment by encouraging me to set goals, teaching me about their work, and offering valuable advice that I can use in my career moving forward.”

Porter Novelli is honored to have you on our team. Thanks to every intern for such a fantastic summer!

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Internship Application Season is Upon Us!

It’s that time of year – internship application season! Not to be outdone, Porter Novelli is actively posting intern applications for our North America offices in hopes of finding the best and brightest communications minds out there to take part in PN’s 2019 Intern Class.  

Porter Novelli is proud to offer juniors, seniors and recent college graduates a top-rated internship experience by encouraging creative thinking and establishing interns as integral members of their team from day one. You won’t be fetching coffee and making copies; here at PN, we believe that practical experience is key to a solid career in public relations, so be ready to write blog posts and news releases, help coordinate client and office events, update media lists and use your unique skillset throughout your internship.

Ready to join us? First, you need to take the first step: apply! Below are a few tips to keep in mind as you navigate application season, as well as specific things we look for at PN.

Do your homework. Research the companies where you want to apply. Sure, an organization’s website is a good place to start, but you should do more digging than that! Here are a few suggestions:

Conduct a Google News search on each company

Check them out on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram

Use Glassdoor to see current and past employee reviews as well as potential interview questions

Join a Facebook group for communications professionals in your area; more than likely, someone will have information about a company’s culture

We promise you’ll stand out if you are able to chat about more than just what you can find on the company’s website.

In fact, when applying for a PN internship, you’ll have a chance to explain why you want to work here, as well as which practice you think would be a good fit. While each office is different, Porter Novelli has five practice areas to spark anyone’s interest. These include:

Food – working with agriculture, associations, nutrition, and the beverage and restaurant industries

Technology – working in the Consumer Tech, Enterprise Tech, Telecommunications/Mobility space

Reputation – helping with reputation management with customers, employees, partners, etc.

Health – supporting health and wellness issues across the globe

Purpose – area focused on helping businesses grow and positively impact the world

Keep your resume and cover letter concise and specific. When you’re at the director level, it’s understandable if your resume is more than one page. However, a resume targeting intern positions should be one page and include information about your education, prior internships or relevant college experiences.

Similarly, keep your cover letter short and sweet; in fact, we recommend writing no more than three to five short paragraphs in your letter. Make sure to tailor your cover letter to each company and internship by using keywords from the job description and expressing how your experience or passions will help fill that particular role.

If you can quantify it, they will come. Numbers stand out on a page, but they also show results.

Did you manage the social media accounts for a student organization? If so, did those accounts grow in terms of followers or engagement? Perhaps you helped plan and execute an event for the company where you worked part-time. How many people attended? Did this number grow from last year? When tweaking your resume, look for ways to quantify your experience.

Read the application thoroughly. Each company’s internship application will ask for different supplemental materials and should include specific details about what you’ll do as an intern. For the PN internship, you’ll need to send the following:

A resume and cover letter

Two professional or personal recommendations

Give your professors or personal contacts at least two weeks to write the letter

A short (max: 300 words) explanation about why you want to work at PN

This is where you can highlight your preferred practice or specialty focus area

Optional: up to three work samples (press releases, blog posts, pitch letters, designed materials, reports, etc.)

Remember that an application is a snapshot of you and your capabilities, so think of ways to creatively package yourself. Do you have a multimedia project or a video from class to share? Are you a design wizard? Or perhaps you’re a media relations guru. Either way, think of a way to present yourself that’s just as unique as you.

Assume you’re always being evaluated. Proofread every email and LinkedIn message before sending. You’ll learn that written communication with clients is a significant part of agency work, and we want to make sure your writing is up to par before you begin corresponding with those we have established relationships with over the years.

Remember that you’re applying for an internship. You don’t know everything about PR. We don’t expect you to, either. We understand that interns are here to grow their skills while they learn the foundations of public relations and account management.

Check back here in a few weeks to see what’s in store for those going through the PN internship process. And don’t forget to submit your application by the deadline!

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Six Steps for a Perfect Career Fair Experience

It’s that time of year--no, not football season--career fair season! Time to brush off and brush up that resume, prowl LinkedIn for internship and job opportunities and fine-tune your elevator pitch. Nothing is worse than attending a career fair when you’re not prepared, so we’re here to help you have the best career fair experience yet!

Do your research

Before you step foot into the career fair you’ll want to conduct research on the companies attending, what they do and what positions they have open. Make sure to also check out how the floor is set up. Most fairs are only a few hours long, so you want to make sure you’re spending your time wisely by speaking with the right people; not hunting down their booth.

Bring your A-game

Now that you’ve completed your research and have your game plan mapped out, it’s time to give your resume a face-lift. Make sure your resume is up to date with the most relevant information and experience, shows your personality and has impeccable spelling and grammar. Trust us, nothing is worse than reading that you “comlepted mothly reports for socal meida.”

Other great items to bring are business cards, a small notebook and pens. After speaking with a representative it’s a good idea to take notes on what you talked about for a memorable follow up later. A folder with a zipper is a great way to keep everything together without being encumbered with a large purse or book bag.

Practice your elevator pitch

Research--check. Materials--check. Now what are you going to talk about? Companies and students want to talk with as many people as possible, so it’s important to have your elevator pitch ready to go. An elevator pitch is a great way for a prospective employer to get to know you, your background and your intentions in a short amount of time. It’s also a good way to jump-start a conversation and make a lasting first impression. Our advice? Practice your elevator pitch in front of a mirror or with a friend, so you’re confident and natural.

Dress for success

The final step of preparation: what to wear. It’s important to dress professionally, and for the job you want, but don’t be afraid to show your personality. Remember this is a great opportunity for attending companies to get to know you! Make sure you are comfortable and wear shoes you can easily walk in. Ladies, remember to keep your makeup clean and simple. We recommend trying on your outfit the night before. This can be a stressful situation, so the last thing you want to be doing is tugging at your clothes or wobbling in your new high heels.

Be yourself

The last thing you need to bring is your great personality! Remember to relax and be yourself. Employers want great people like you to join their teams, and an important facet of today’s hiring environment is to make sure you fit in with the company’s culture. So, be open and honest, and let them get to know you and your aspirations.

Follow up

The career fair is over, you’ve collected some business cards and have some good leads on internships or maybe even a job. The next step is to follow up. Remember that little notebook you brought to jot down your notes? Here’s where that comes in handy. Spend some time sending emails (or even handwritten thank you notes) to thank the people you spoke with, and ask any other questions you might have about the company or prospective open positions. Employers love for you to stay connected, and it will keep you at the top of their minds when the time to hire comes around.

Congratulations! You are now equipped to rock your career fair. Be sure to stay tuned to our blog for updates on how to score an interview and secure an internship or job.

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New York Outing: The Black Gotham Experience

The Black Gotham Experience (BGX) was a Thursday afternoon post-Thirsty Thursday treat hosted by the NY office’s Diversity Alliance. A group of seven, interns included, participated in a walking tour of the neighborhood with Kamau Ware, the founder of BGX, an immersive visual storytelling project that helps participants connect through empathy to the stories of people in the African American diaspora who helped lay the foundation for New York City starting in the 17th century.

BGX made a big impact at this year’s SXSW conference, as it’s tours leverage VR/AR to place you in the time space and frame of mind of story participants. By bringing this unique opportunity to our NY office colleagues, the BGX team helped to inspire new thinking about ways to share stories on behalf of our clients through technology. The outing also demonstrated PN’s commitment to celebrating diversity and the untold stories of those around us.

Our group had the opportunity to experience the second of five in the core stories of BGX. The story starts in 1664 in a small town dubbed Land of the Blacks on day two of British New York. Sarah’s fire is a story that is set on the southern tip of Manhattan that is home to both enslaved and free Black people. The tour illustrated the peculiar universe of urban slavery in a port city with heavy ties to the sugar plantations of the West Indies. The key person in this story is an enslaved woman named Sarah who was one of 29 people that participated in the first militarized Black Rebellion on the island of Manhattan.

Overall, the 2-hour tour exposed us to rich history about our community and through Kamau, a master historian and storyteller, we could appreciate, step into, and empathize with Sarah and the other contributors to the rebellion as we walked and dove deep into key milestones referenced by our guide. It gave us a fresh perspective and enabled us to better understand the origins of the streets we walk around daily, and in that process learn more about ourselves.

I came away from the tour thinking more critically about stories and how many remain untold. As an intern, it offered me an opportunity to bond with colleagues across practice areas and levels and learn more about the value and opportunity to incorporate more diverse storytelling across my account work. Plus, the format was so unique, it made me curious about other ways to combine AR/VR and walking to design experiences for consumers that they would not get through more traditional formats. Through tools like BGX, we can better bring people along our storytelling journeys and into the worlds of our brands to enhance our relationships and help us better connect with younger audiences.

Alan Hernandez, New York Intern

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Myth vs. Fact: 4 Things You Didn’t Know About Your Summer Internship

There are many misconceptions you might have about your internship experience. We’re here to help you crack the code, and get the most out of any internship or entry-level position. 

MYTH: I can only do work for the department that hired me. 

The best part of an internship is that you get to explore an industry and determine, in a real-world environment, whether it is a good fit for you. Part of making that decision is understanding how departments work together to make a company run. Talk to EVERYONE.

As an intern for the Porter Novelli Technology Practice, I have not only developed a deeper understanding of the technology industry, but thanks to the Porter Novelli & Cone Purpose partnership, I have had the opportunity to work with countless Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) accounts, as well. It’s the best of both worlds. As a full-time employee, however, your day-to-day is more focused on satisfying your select clients than it is on exploring what the agency has to offer.

MYTH: I am not client facing, so my work doesn’t really matter.

YOUR WORK MATTERS to your team and to future you. All the work you are doing now is setting you up to become a PR maven. As an intern, you may not be client-facing, but you are building up your toolkit of key skills every PR professional must have.  Take time to study how your team interacts with their clients, as the nuances of these relationships can be tricky to navigate. However, once you become a full-time employee you’ll have ALL the tools you need to make sure you maintain a successful agency-client relationship.

MYTH: As an intern, I’m supposed to be a sponge soaking up information, so I probably shouldn’t contribute during team meetings. 

There are plenty of opportunities to share ideas you may have. Like a sponge, it’s imperative that you soak in and retain information. Similarly, sponges release their contents; it’s important to show that you can apply the knowledge that you’ve been learning. In that same breath, you’ve got to walk before you run, and this internship experience will provide you with the knowledge you need to speak confidently once you have that full-time job.

Ask questions and be receptive to new information. At the same time, it’s crucial that you see yourself as a contributing member of your team. There is a time and place for everything, but don’t be afraid to show your team that you have fresh ideas and innovative perspectives on client-related topics. Porter Novelli places high value on active intern contribution. I’ve had the opportunity to suggest new targets, create questions for sourcing calls and lead internal team meetings.

FACT: During my first week on the job, I should communicate my goals to my manager. 

Before your first day of work, do some research: What kind of skills do you want to learn from this internship? What are the responsibilities of a full-time employee? What questions will be important to ask?  Once you get your list—or as I like to call it, a P2W (Play to Win)—it’s important to share it with your manager during your first meeting. They’ll appreciate the initiative you took to learn about the field and will try to give you opportunities you may not have had access to before. This is a tip that you can and SHOULD bring with you to your first full-time job, as well; it’s important to level with your managers and let them know any goals you may have. Some items I had on my P2W were to pitch editors, construct media lists and sit in on client calls. My team at Porter Novelli has allowed me to do all that and more!

Hold these tips and tricks close as you embark on your journey. They will serve you well not only during your internship, but in any full-time opportunity you land after.

Nairobi Jeanniton, Boston Intern

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Intern Tip of the Week No. 8

Observation is a great tool to learn the ins and outs of a profession. What have you learned through observation this summer?

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A Day in the Life of a PN Intern (as told by Emma Stone)

All my life I never identified myself as a ginger. However, most of my peers and I am sure many of you would classify me as one. Because Emma Stone is hilarious (and a fellow ginger) I thought there would be no better way to illustrate the life of a Porter Novelli intern (aka me) than by using her humor to take you through my day.

6:00 a.m. Wake Up Call

Rise and grind! Time to wake up and get ready for work.

The Commute

Every morning I take the train to Grand Central Station. It is complete and utter chaos, with everyone rushing to get to work. From there, it’s three long subway stops until I arrive at the office!

Starbucks Run

One of the biggest perks of working at Porter Novelli in New York City is the Starbucks located in the main lobby. So of course, it’s my first stop for my morning caffeine kick. Let’s just say that my mom is not happy with my Starbucks bill...

Emails, Emails, Emails

On a typical morning, my inbox is overloaded with emails. As I filter through them, I find myself prioritizing which tasks are of the utmost importance and which can wait until later in the day.

Breakfast Club

Every Monday morning we have breakfast club. The office meets to discuss any news regarding the company and to give “snaps” or kudos to coworkers for the great work they’ve done!

Class Time

As interns, we are often scheduled to take classes that help us learn more about the public relations industry. I must say I feel like a genius after these classes, which have focused on topics such as Excel, media relations, media monitoring and writing.

Bon Appetit! Time for lunch

Another perk of our NYC office is the proximity of all the restaurants around to grab lunch! My favorite place is Eataly, an Italian cafeteria. For all my Italian food lovers, you can check out the different restaurants Eataly has to offer here.  

Let’s Get Down to Business

After lunch, my manager will have work assignments waiting for me. While I may not always know how to begin or complete some of the assignments, my manager is there to help and guide me every step of the way.

Thirsty Thursday

Every Thursday afternoon, the office hosts a happy hour, which brings everyone together for a nice break. After a long week, we could use a pick-me-up to get us to the weekend.

Home Sweet Home

When the clock strikes 6:00 p.m., that means my 8-hour shift has come to an end. I am excited to go home and binge watch some Netflix but also look forward to seeing what my next day entails.

Paycheck, Time to Shop!

While work can sometimes be long and challenging, the benefits of working at Porter Novelli make it all worthwhile. Getting a paycheck is a plus, but my internship experience has brought me so much more. The skills I have learned, the friendships I have made and the amazing New York City that I was able to explore will never be forgotten!

- Sabrina Jacobellis, PN intern

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Intern Tip of the Week No. 7

It’s always a good day to learn something new and challenge yourself! 

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Do you like working at Porter Novelli?

Porter Novelli is a great place to work! Typically housing isn’t provided. Our internships can be either 3 or 6 months. The duration of the internship often depends on the needs of the office and its teams, and the availability of the potential intern. 

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PN Skills Spotlight: Media Relations & Pitching

If you studied Public Relations (PR) in college, you most likely took all the typical classes, such as Intro to Public Relations, Public Relations Writing, Media Relations and more. You learned the textbook version of pitching to the media, what reporters prefer in an email and all the other do’s and don’t’s of the industry. You probably had multiple assignments that simulated the production and execution of a successful press release and pitch. You discovered what is considered an A+ worthy pitch (according to your professors) and what needs improvement. However, the real test is when you face a “real-world” situation in which you need to pitch your client’s most recent announcement to a legitimate reporter.

What previously got you an A in class, might not be enough to convince a reporter that your pitch is worth their time. Heck, they may not even open your email if your subject line isn’t enticing enough. These are the lessons  I could only learn through real-life experiences.  

At Porter Novelli, interns are thrown head-on into projects, allowing them to grow and learn from their experiences. Through my current work and learning from my managers, I’ve developed a few useful tips for anyone in need of media relations and pitching advice.

1.       Build your target media list. When pitching, it’s important to make sure your target works with your story. Blindly pulling together ‘random’ media contacts from a variety of publications won’t get you any coverage. You want to make sure the publication you're pitching covers the topic you’re interested in.

 2.       Target specific reporters. Not only do you want to target the right publication, but also specific reporters. It’s important to find media contacts in the right beat (a journalist’s area of focus). These can be broad like, “fitness,” or narrow like, “yoga.” By doing just a little research, you can easily find media contacts that are a perfect fit for your story.

 3.       Read the reporter’s prior articles. While doing research on a reporter’s area of focus, thoroughly read some of their previous articles that seem relevant to your pitch. When you write your pitch, mention some of their past articles and let the reporter know how and where your story angle might fit.

 4.       Get straight to your point. Once you’ve got your media list, it’s time to start pitching. You want to make your pitch as concise and to the point as possible. Lengthy pitches typically get glanced over and quickly deleted. Breaking up your message in different bullet points to section off the important information, and bolding words or phrases, helps the reader quickly understand what you’re pitching.

 5.       Personalize your email. Reporters get hundreds of emails a day from PR professionals trying to pitch a story.  At the first sign of a generic email, they’ll delete and move on to the next one. Obvious copy and paste emails, misspelled names, mentioning the wrong publication, etc., can cost you a story. Always personalize the intro with the reporter’s name and, if possible, create a hook that’s tailored to them.

 6.       REVIEW before sending. If you haven’t gotten it by now, pitches very easily get deleted by the recipient. As mentioned above, lengthy and general emails have no effect on reporters. An easy mistake people typically make is bad email formatting. Sometimes when drafting an email, certain bullet points, grids and generic formatting looks good. However, after viewing the sent email, or viewing it on your phone, the format changes and it’s too late. Always make sure you send yourself the email before sending it to reporter. Double check that the format stays intact while viewing on all your devices.

  7.       Follow-up. Some may think that after clicking “send” everything is smooth sailing from then on out. But like mentioned multiple times, reporters are extremely busy people with extremely full inboxes. Sometimes, even if your pitch is written perfectly with the correct grammar, formatting and personalization, it can still get lost in the recipient’s inbox. It’s important to always follow-up and reach out to the reporter again. Adding something new to your original email such as an extra piece of information, an info-graphic, picture, etc. can help draw the reporter’s attention. Even simply following-up quickly, brings your original email to top-of-mind. Never be afraid to follow-up!

There are many other tips and tricks that PR professionals can learn while pitching to the media. Every PR professional must find the pitching techniques that work best for them. While figuring out what works best for you, follow these basic principles to make sure your pitch isn’t deleted from a reporter’s inbox!

Nia Morgan, Chicago Fellow

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Relocating to a New City? The Struggle (and Reward) Is Real

Don’t let your connections on LinkedIn and your friends on Instagram and Facebook fool you -- starting an internship in a new city isn’t entirely the glamorous adventure it appears to be through the lens of filtered photos and carefully crafted posts.

It can be thrilling to pack your bags while imagining how chic your new apartment in the city will be, but moving is messy and involves lugging boxes and bags up three flights of stairs only to discover you have only a fraction of the space you had at home. Once you manage to fit ¼ of your things into the room, you decide the rest can be shipped back home. (Why you ever thought bringing the entire contents of your closet and bathroom cupboards was a good idea, you’ll never quite know.)

After all of that, you flop onto your haphazardly-made bed and realize you should go do a test-commute before your first day of work. So, you throw on what will turn out to be the most uncomfortable shoes you own and get lost in a labyrinth of escalators and multi-tiered platforms while trying to find your metro transfer. Eventually, you return to your apartment, cursing your midwestern upbringing and lack of directional sense.

But weeks later, after you’ve checked off everything on your city bucket list — like the best restaurants, museums and unique events around town — living here feels less like a one-off adventure and more like an integral part of your life. You might find yourself being waved down by a few tourists in need of directions on your way home from work, and you realize not only can you give them accurate directions, but you’ve finally blended in with everyone else who lives here.

You would hardly be in D.C. without becoming entirely addicted to the news cycle and the feeling that you’re a part of work that is much bigger than yourself. You come to have an appreciation for any public service campaign that you now know took hundreds of hours for a dedicated team to craft and execute. It’s intoxicating to be part of the story, rather than reading about it.

You’ll know a new kind of homesickness when it comes time to pack up that shoebox of an apartment and you’re already scheming about how soon you’ll be able to come back.

Samantha Brunn, Washington D.C. Intern

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#InternTipOfTheWeek No. 6

Think you can’t take on more advanced assignments during your #internship? Think again. 

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Office Spotlight: Washington D.C.

If taking college courses in public relations has taught me one thing, it is that I will always learn something new on the job. There is never a dull moment, and every day is different from the last – so much so that many public relations professionals would have trouble telling you exactly what they did yesterday.

When I interviewed at Porter Novelli, I made sure to ask my interviewers what their typical day was like in the office. I wanted to get a taste of the culture and make sure I would be in an environment where I would be challenged. When I listened to the responses of my then-future-coworkers, I took note of the types of work I would be able to take part in as a PN intern. Now, I’m here to share with you what a “typical” day – is there such a thing? – as a PN intern looks like in the Washington, D.C. office.

1. You get in early to prepare for the day

Coffee is a must. With nearly a dozen coffee places within walking distance of the office, you can choose from a grab-and-go shop to an artisanal café. After picking up the necessary sustenance, you check your calendar and plan for what will and could happen. Never underestimate a light day – what may appear to be a relatively free Monday could turn into a hectic headache with just one media crisis.  

2. You have your daily responsibilities

Our PNDC office is unique in that we have a lot of government accounts and public affairs work. We also do creative, paid media and reputation management. But that’s not all – we have a purpose practice and a great digital team. With such variety in the office, every hour is different for each employee. Still, you may find yourself doing similar tasks from day to day (e.g. media monitoring, social content creation, market research, landscape analyses, etc.).

3. You take your lunch beside good company and furry friends 

A healthy dose of spontaneity is always important when your day gets busy or you’re worn out by the end of the week. While not everyone is able to take their lunch away from their desk each day, PNDC makes an effort to provide a space for employees to take a break and recharge. Last week, we even had a sweet visitor: Buttercup.

Unfortunately, we are not always able to bring pets into the office because of allergies, but we make up for it with cookie, ice cream – you-name-it – treat breaks and chances to wind down.

4. Then the “unexpected” (but of course anticipated) happens

A client calls. A bill becomes a law. A Supreme Court Justice announces their retirement. A recall is issued for your client’s top-selling product. A government official resigns.

News is everywhere, and, if it could affect your client, it means you should be on top of it. For instance, if a news story immediately impacts an account you’re working on, the client should be aware of this information. Using an earlier example, if a bill becomes a law, it could influence how your client operates their business, which means they may need to be guided through these changes and advised on how to distribute messaging around the news. Conversely, if the news is not as time-sensitive then it can be noted in media monitoring reports frequently sent to clients.

Sometimes, it is good news. Just last week I pitched an LTE to a New York Times editor, and it was published a few days later. It was so rewarding to see the client excited about this placement, and I was glad to have been able to deliver this good news.  

5. You finish your day by wrapping up projects and spending time with coworkers

From engaging learning series to weekly running club outings and summer scavenger hunts, PNDC makes sure the office works together as a team. Did I mention we received a visit from Bill Novelli, one of our founders?  

Check out what makes the PN office the best agency in Washington D.C.

Bill Novelli and Leslie Crutchfield stopped by the office to impart their endless wisdom on driving social change. They shared key insights on why some social movements thrive and others fail and gave us all food for thought on how to create wide-spread behavior change.

Team RISE celebrates the end of a competitive office scavenger hunt by posing near the final checkpoint.

The PN Pacers are back in action this summer as they tour their city by foot.

Gillian Casey, Washington D.C. Intern

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#InternTipOfTheWeek No. 5

This week, take a moment to remember that taking care of yourself is just as important as meeting deadlines and producing stellar work. 

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How to Transition from Academic to Professional Life

The transition from academic life to professional life can be daunting for recent college graduates nervous about stepping foot into the work force. The pressure of being able to apply the past four years of knowledge you earned in college in the work force can result in second guessing and a lack of confidence in young professionals. At least this is how I felt before beginning my internship. However, the fears I had prior to entering in the New York office at Porter Novelli were all but extinguished as soon as I met the exuberant employees that work here.

In reality, professional life in comparison to academic life is not as difficult as one would expect. While I am only an intern performing daily account management tasks, my understanding of the day-to-day operations of an agency has grown each week and has given me confidence for my future career.

One of the main reasons college graduates and college interns become so nervous in anticipation for their first job or internship is due to the competitive nature of the industry that can sometimes lead to rejection.This causes these individuals to build up in their head the intensity and difficulty of the job they do receive. But the truth is, if you work hard and pay attention to detail, anyone can make the transition from academic life to professional life.

Another fear recent college grads share is that everyone is judging your every move. When I first stepped into the office, I thought every conversation I had with the employees at PN was my “make it or break it” moment in the Big Apple. I felt the need to impress everyone each time I spoke to them in order to prove my worth and potential. This is an easy way to get overwhelmed and stress yourself out. Once I began to relax and admit to the fact that I did not already know everything there is in PR before even stepping in the office, the conversations I had became more real and helpful. The shakiness in my voice began to disappear and I felt more relaxed when communicating with my coworkers.  

Paying attention to detail, working hard, communicating, and asking questions are the most important things a new intern or entry level employee can do when taking their first step into the work force. While I’m still figuring out the best way to approach this next step in my life, I am grateful to have Porter Novelli as my first experience in the real world, as their trust has allowed me to participate in some of the important work that is conducted here.

Zach Genaway, PN New York, Food & Nutrition Intern

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#InternTipOfTheWeek No. 4

Happy Monday! For a little motivation this Monday, we remind our interns to take advantage of every opportunity presented to them. You never know what you’ll discover. 

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From the Classroom to the Agency: How One Teacher Accomplished a Career Change

Picture this for a moment: You’re 29, you own a home and have five years of experience in a stable industry. And then, you decide to change careers and pursue public relations. You make the difficult decision to start over by quitting your job, selling your house and moving back to a college town. Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s all completely worth it.

A Fresh Start

In the fall of 2014, I had one goal in mind: I would not be signing my teaching contract in the coming spring. In my fifth year of teaching high school English, I knew that education was not my heart’s desire and that it was time to move on. Careers in communications seemed to be the most natural fit. In my years as a teacher, I’d come to learn the value of a good story, and I’d enjoyed the event planning aspect of my job managing the school’s debate team. As an English major, I’d done my fair share of reading tons of material, only to turn around and write about it in a clear, succinct manner. Essays seemed easy enough, so press releases couldn’t be that hard, right? I learned quickly in my job search that public relations practitioners use AP, not MLA style, and that I was missing some core skills. So, I decided to apply for a master’s degree in communications.

Fast forward to early 2017. By that time, I’d taken courses in research, public opinion, graphic design, public relations theory and campaigns. I was finishing up my graduate coursework and working in communications as a graduate assistant as the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, while also interning with the Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau. On top of this, I was on a team with the student-led agency, Creative Consultants, and had recently finished managing the publicity committee for ADPR Connection, a major networking event with Grady College students at the University of Georgia. To say I was busy was an understatement. And yet, I knew that I needed to begin applying for entry-level positions and internships.

Yes. At age 31, I knew that my best shot would be to look for entry-level jobs. It was a hard pill to swallow, but I’m so glad I did. That spring, I was offered and accepted an internship with the Porter Novelli Atlanta office. 

Not Just Any Old Internship

Last June, I began interning with our office’s Corporate and Consumer practice. My manager is six years younger than me, and everyone in our office who is my age is an account manager or supervisor. However, I didn’t let that deter me. First of all, everyone I work with is a rock star. And I mean that. Porter Novelli has the ability to be “choosey” when they bring on new talent, and it shows. The people around me who are six or eight years younger can plan, execute and report on a program or event with only minimal guidance from our account leads. I’m in awe of my coworkers every day.

Here at PN, I’ve improved skills I learned in grad school and continued to learn more. We don’t just run errands for our superiors: As an intern, I built media lists, wrote pitches, press releases and blog posts, helped plan for and run events, helped develop client reports and so much more. It was an amazing experience, and I don’t at all regret starting over to gain the skills I needed to build a career.

Continuing to Grow

Somehow, it’s been a year since I started with PN (And nearly four years since I began this journey), and I feel like each week offers a new learning experience. I stayed on after my internship, and was eventually offered a position as an Assistant Account Executive with the Corporate and Consumer team, and I can thank PN’s focus on professional and personal development for preparing me for what could have been an intimidating transition. 

From managing client programs to using analytics tools to pull insights, my job is never boring and always changing. What began as a fresh start and a search for something different has become a love affair with public relations, and I can’t wait to see what each year brings.

Oh, and that goal I had in 2014: I met it, and I’ve never looked back.