Comments on: PR Interns or Assistants – Which is Right for You?

By: Trent Callier

Trent Callier — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 23:06:41 +0000

Kellye, I think whether having a PR intern or an assistant is a good topic to discuss. I do not know what would be a good idea for the employer’s perspective because I am just a student, but I like the idea of having an intern. The reason I like an internship is because a future employee can learn the necessary things to make it in the business because I think in an internship there are a lot more things a person can learn than if they just went on their education. It would be good for the employer because if the student is highly skilled at public relations the employer can get free labor out of them.

Thank You
Trent Callier

By: Second Look: Philanthropy, Flight Attendants, and Happy Interns | Independent Thinking

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:16:32 +0000

[...] Interns vs. Assistants: Mary Deming Barber has a thoughtful guest post for Solo PR Pro that looks at how to get the most from (and for) your intern–and when you should be hiring an assistant instead. [...]

By: Promotional Products

Promotional Products — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:03:47 +0000

Kellye,

Great topic to tackle, as we have college students starting to submit applications for summer work. I have some wrestling to do with this article as I approach the time to make a decision.

By: Tweets that mention PR Interns or Assistants – Which is Right for You? | Solo PR Pro | Successful Freelance PR Consulting -- Topsy.com

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 04:07:35 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jennifer Wilbur, Daria Steigman. Daria Steigman said: When to hire an asst. (and not bring on an intern): http://bit.ly/a8LcOd Great advice, from @mdbarber [...]

By: marydemingbarber

marydemingbarber — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 02:59:24 +0000

I agree Heather and think the more we can invest as mentors the better our profession will be in the long run. It's up to all of us to make sure the foundation we were able to start with is still strong for those coming after us.

By: marydemingbarber

marydemingbarber — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 02:58:24 +0000

Thank you my friend. And…the flattery will get you places.

By: Narciso17

Narciso17 — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 02:17:45 +0000

While I did not have the mindset to even consider trying for an internship (after all, I was training to be an actor...seriously), I can say that this kind of experience would've helped me out tremendously.

that being said, I believe that working with someone like Mary (had I even considered the term 'internship' insted of 'summer stock') would have paid off in dividends! You've given this topic some much need analysis.

Narciso Tovar
Big Noise Communications
@Narciso17

By: heatherwhaling

heatherwhaling — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:15:51 +0000

I just left a longer comment, but wanted to chime in on the virtual intern thread. Part of what made my college internships so helpful were the “intangible” lessons: watching how my boss performed under pressure during a crisis situation, seeing him in action at press conferences, hearing him on the phone pitching stories to the media. I'm sure lots of students have had successful virtual internships, but I wonder if some of the lessons you learn by observing are lost? For example, with a “remote” intern, I could help them rework a press release to make it better, but would they miss out on how to manage difficult reporters at a press conference? Interested to hear other views …

By: heatherwhaling

heatherwhaling — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:11:19 +0000

What an interesting discussion! I was fortunate to have two fantastic internships during college — one at the largest agency in the state (at the time), one for the university's PR department (this one last nearly 2 years). Those experiences were invaluable — helping me develop the skills needed to land an agency job right out of college.

I currently work with two PR freelancers on a limited capacity, mostly to help with research and developing media lists. Both are paid positions, and I wouldn't consider either an internship. I'd like to get to the point where I can have an intern, but I'm just not able to devote enough time to help that person learn and grow. I had an intern, *I'd* be doing them a disservice at this point because I don't think I could devote enough time to the learning aspects of the internship. And, as someone who cherishes her internship experiences, I'd hate to do that to someone else.

But, Mary, I 100% agree that we need to do our part to help others learn and grow. I've spoken to PRSSA groups via Skype, often go to coffee with PR people who want to discuss career options, and respond to emails from students looking for advice. Even though I — and reading the comments, many of us Solo PR Pros — don't have the time to manage an intern, there are lots of other ways that we can help practitioners learn and grow.

By: Heather R. Huhman

Heather R. Huhman — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:20:14 +0000

I've had a lot of success with virtual interns. In fact, I put together a presentation to help others have the same success I've had! Don't hesitate to contact me with questions. http://www.slideshare.net/ComeRecommended/creat...

(I'll reply to the rest of the content in this post and other comments later -- pressed for time but Kellye asked me to chime in on this!)