The Intern Files
Derek Schoen - The Firm

One of my professors said "Hey, a local firm needs somebody to work with them for the Stardust implosion; do a little media check in and that type of thing. Anybody interested?" Me and another young lady actually said, "Yeah, we'd love to." We went up there, worked with them all night. Worked until about three in the morning with them, just getting some experience and, by the end of the night, they said, "If you're ever looking for an internship let us know." And I said, "Well actually it just happens that I am."

Challenge

My greatest challenge was definitely taking what I learned in the classroom and applying it to actually doing things. I've written press releases in class. I had done client communications in class. But, once you get out there, it was completely different in terms of I've done it in theory, but now doing it and actually having a boss sign off on it, and it go to the client, and end up at the media.

First Day

My first day I walked in there in a full suit ready to go, thinking I'm going to be sitting there in an office all day at a computer not talking to anybody. It was a completely different culture than I had imagined. They said, "Loosen your tie. Relax. It's a very relaxed environment," which I didn't expect at all. Sat down, got a lot of paperwork the first day. Got my computer all set up and then they went over with me what my job would be. And that was really when it kind of hit me that their not just making me a student. I'm going to be a part of the company and they are really going to involve me in their every day to day operations.

Supervisor

We had weekly meetings. Which she sat down with me and we'd discuss what's going on what's not working what is working what I'd like to do what I wouldn't like to do anymore. It was very good to be able to sit down with her because I felt she understood where I was coming from and exactly what I'd like to get out of the internship.

Contribution

You are ground level. You are doing a lot of the grunt work. A lot of lists. A lot of writing things that aren't necessarily really, really important but still are very important because, what happens is, all of my work would then go on to somebody higher up who would take that as the basis for a huge project. So, in a way, I feel really responsible for these huge projects we did because I did the base work.

Going Full Time!

Two days before my graduation I actually went into the office of the big boss and sat down and now I am officially a public relations coordinator for the company. They kept me on straight through and I have to say it's been quite an experience and something I would never ever be able to replace.

Advice

Do it and do it as soon as possible because what an internship allows you to do is to take the knowledge that you've gotten from school and apply it out there and see if you like it. If you do an internship your freshman, sophomore, junior, senior year, all of them, do it. Do it with as many companies if you can. If you find a company you like, stick with them But it gives you a chance to really go out there and feel it out without making a huge long term commitment that ties you in for life, that you feel you have to keep. It's something where you can explore the market and really find what you like to do.