Five things I learned from a PR internship at MikeWorldWide

This summer, MikeWorldWide hosted four PR interns in the London office as part of the LEAP internship programme. Designed to empower the next generation of international PR agency professionals, LEAP’s aim has been to equip interns with a fully rounded skillset to succeed in progressive comms. From a large pool of talented applicants, Rim, David, Tonye and Declan were selected to join our PR and branding agency. Jumping into various client campaigns and internal projects, all four became fully immersed in the day-to-day running of the company and proved themselves to be valuable additions to the team. As the first of our interns approach the end of their two months, we sat down with them to discuss their top takeaways from their time at MWW.

First up is David, who joined us during his summer break before starting his Master’s degree in International Development at Cambridge – following an Undergraduate degree at UCL, might we add! David demonstrated great initiative throughout his internship and was eager to learn the ins and outs of the PR and branding agency world. As for his top tips for budding PR professionals? Read on to find out.

There is no such thing as overcommunicating

At the start of my internship, I wasn’t sure if I should always flag everything that crossed my radar. However, I’ve learned that nothing is too trivial, and communicating is key to finding new opportunities for the clients and business.

Enjoy what you do

Having a genuine interest in the work you’re doing will improve the quality of it! By spending time researching a business, its field, its people, I became more and more invested in my PR agency work and was able to produce a high level of work.

Clarity is key

I’ve noticed that the delegation of roles and responsibilities is essential for maximising efficiency. Making sure each team member is clear on exactly what they’re contributing to the wider team means we can work together to produce the best results.

Keep an eye on current events

A lot of PR agency work centres around news-hijacking and making sure our clients’ stories are on trend. I learned the importance of monitoring the news agenda and creating angles for our clients to weave in their brand story.

Embrace flexible working

Having the freedom to work certain days in the office and others at home made me feel like I have control over my professional life, which helped me to produce my best work possible.

Next up is Rim, who also used her university break to apply for the internship. Having completed her first year of Political Economy at King’s College London, Rim brought an inquisitive mind to our PR and branding agency, and we loved watching her flourish over the two months. Below, she explains her key takeaways from LEAP and how she will be applying them to her degree moving forward.

Stay organised

By working on multiple accounts, I have had to efficiently manage my time to complete the assigned tasks prior to deadlines. I’ve started using lists to stay on top of this, and will definitely be using this approach to my university work when I return this year.

Don’t be afraid to get involved

I wouldn’t necessarily characterise myself as shy, but I can be on the quieter side with new people – coming into the office, socialising with colleagues and speaking to journalists on the phone has helped me come out of my shell in both my professional and personal life.

There are plenty of tools at your disposal

Through courses and training provided by MWW, I have learned to use a lot of new software, including social listening tools and media databases. These have helped to improve my work and I feel more confident navigating digital programmes as a result.

Stay up-to-date with current affairs

One of my favourite tasks is monitoring the news every morning. I not only feel more knowledgeable about world affairs, but I love finding ways to include clients in the broader news landscape.

Seek out opportunities to improve writing

Being tasked with writing pitches for various topics has helped build my writing skills and make me more succinct. Throughout my internship, I’ve made sure to request feedback so that I’m constantly improving my PR agency work.