When Jamie began building the public relations outreach for Soundview Caterers, she had no idea the independence and motivation she would gain! This Inter[n]view explores Jamie’s experiences during her first PR internship in Long Island, NY.
PRSSA-UD: You’re just coming out of freshman year and you’ve already got an internship!? That’s fantastic. Was Soundview Caterers something you were interested in before joining the company?
JL: I never saw myself in the hospitality industry, but that’s the great thing about Public Relations, you can apply your skills in any field. As you gain experience as a professional you will learn about a wide variety of fields while gaining a wide breadth of skills. I always thought my passion lied in advertising, but after this internship I am starting to lean toward the social media/public relations/marketing field. Not only is it enjoyable, but I am good at what I do.
PRSSA-UD: I’m sure you are! What has been the most valuable experience of your internship so far?
JL: Having full control and responsibility of all social media profiles for Soundview Caterers has been the most valuable experience. This is a new venture for me and I love every bit of it. I have the opportunity to put in my input and make the calls of what I think will be beneficial to the company online. In addition to managing the Facebook and Instagram, I manage Soundview’s profiles on 10 event planning websites.
PRSSA-UD: It sounds like you do a lot of different work every day. What has been a surprising thing that you learned?
JL: It is a lot harder than I anticipated creating social media profiles for a brand new company. You have to build your network from the ground up, and that is something that takes time.
PRSSA-UD: It seems like you’re up for the challenge! Do you feel that you have found a mentor?
JL: Yes! I have most definitely found a mentor. Michael, my boss and the owner of Soundview, has truly taken me under his wing. He values my opinions and trusts me with the company’s responsibilities. He is always sharing valuable knowledge with me; there is not a day that I go into my internship that I am not learning something.
PRSSA-UD: What advice would you give future interns about communicating with their boss?
JL: A piece of advice that was given to me from PRSSA is to always ask for help when you need it. It is better to ask questions and be both eager and passionate about what you are doing rather than to make a mistake. If you are asking educated questions, people will appreciate it. It shows that you know what you are talking about and are just looking for insight and further clarification.
PRSSA-UD: Really great advice, Jamie. It’s important for interns to know they can ask questions and learn as much as they can. What other academic classes or campus activities do you think help you with this internship?
JL: PRSSA has definitely been the most helpful experience that I have had at Delaware. Since I am only a rising sophomore, I haven’t taken classes in my major that would help me with what I am doing at Soundview. The PRSSA skill slams and general meetings that I have attended have definitely helped me.
PRSSA-UD: Glad to hear you’ve gotten such a great foundation with PRSSA! In what ways has this internship contributed to your professional development?
JL: This internship is a tremendous contribution to my professional development because I am doing and learning many things. I am gaining a well-rounded experience, I am assisting the CEO on a daily basis with client tours, running the social media pages, answering the phones and emails and much more.
PRSSA-UD: You’re getting so much professional experience! Working so closely with your boss must be a great experience as well. What was the most helpful thing your boss did to make you feel comfortable as an intern?
JL: He told me what he thinks about me as an employee and a person; he thinks I am an outgoing, task-oriented professional.
After hearing what he thought about me, it instilled confidence in myself. If someone so important thinks highly of me there must me a reason and this pushes me to live up to the impression that he has of me.
PRSSA-UD: Congratulations! That’s such amazing feedback. Last question: What is the best advice you would give to future interns/the best advice you’ve received?
JL: Don’t be afraid to share your ideas; not all of them are going to be perfect. Ideas instill creativity and you never know what has potential for success!
Jamie Levy is a rising sophomore at the University of Delaware. She is a Communications Interest Major/Advertising minor, and proud sister of Alpha Xi Delta. Jamie says PRSSA has inspired her to reach her full potential as a pre-professional young woman, and that being surrounded by people with the same goals as her own is nothing but inspirational. You can follow Jamie’s summer experiences through her Twitter account: @jamielevy28
prssaud.com 