National Intern Day is as good a moment as any to reflect on how much interns contribute to agency work.
When it comes to finding, applying for, and securing an internship, there can be all kinds of conflicting advice and best practices. What your program advisor tells you compared to your friends, and people in the industry, can all be at a crossroads with one another.
At O&G, we have had a fair share of interns coming through our doors. Many of which end up staying in our office or continuing their career journey elsewhere.
As professionals who have been in their shoes before, our team understands how overwhelming and daunting this process can be. With that in mind, we’ve culled our team for some best-practices for current undergrads and graduates to keep in mind as they hone in on their searches.
Plus, we’re correcting a few assumptions about what a communications internship actually involves.
At O&G, our internship program is focused on hands-on experience that directly translates into real client work.
Myth: PR is just writing press releases
Reality: Knowing how to write one is a baseline skill for any PR professional, but a well-rounded media strategy also depends on thoughtful pitching and strong reporter relationships
For interns, and for any PR pro, a single day can shift the moment an interview is secured, suddenly focused on drafting talking points and prepping an interviewee with a comprehensive media training call. Things move quickly at an agency, which keeps the days interesting and rarely repetitive.
Myth: You’ll spend your time building media lists
Reality: Media lists are part of the job, and they matter. But they’re not the whole story
A well-built list and a pitch customized for a specific journalist make all the difference in whether a pitch lands. Tools like Muck Rack make building a media list far more efficient today, so list-building is just one task among many.
Interns are also on-site for client events and pick up hands-on event management experience. One week might mean building a reporter list for a product launch, and the next might mean shooting footage at a client’s World Cup watch party or helping shape social content for a new luxury condo building.
Myth: PR and social media are separate lanes
Reality: They aren’t. Especially not at an agency that runs one integrated strategy across earned and owned media for the same client
Interns gain hands-on experience drafting press materials and help shape a client’s social strategy, from content creation to reel editing. They see firsthand how the two strategies work together.
From turning a media placement into a client’s next social post the same afternoon, to handling a comment thread with the same care as a reporter’s email. The line between earned coverage and owned channels blurs more than most incoming interns expect.
Myth: Interns only get exposure to one industry
Reality: A PR internship rarely sits inside a single sector
In the same week, an intern might help support event management at a luxury model residence unveiling one day, then film content for a restaurant client the next.
O&G’s client roster spans real estate, higher education, non-profit, and food and beverage, among other sectors, so the mix of work shifts fast, and so does the type of writing and strategy it takes to support it.
Myth: Interns just observe from the sidelines
Reality: Real client exposure is the point of an internship at O&G
Interns sit in and take an active role on strategy calls and daily client communication. They also contribute to pitches and engage with the media through their outreach efforts.
PR is about real world experience and understanding how to communicate your client’s story to the media, social media audiences and key stakeholders, and that’s what interns leave with.
Don’t Believe Us?
Get the latest from our most recent intern Ariella Green on her highlights from the summer: