During a recent #solopr Twitter chat, we spent some time talking about how independents use interns and assistants. As public relations professionals, I believe we have a responsibility to help others learn and grow so they can be responsible professionals as well. At the same time, as small business owners, we know the amount of time we have to devote to helping those less experienced get their on the job training. So, how do you decide? What do you need to look at? Here are some thoughts and I hope you’ll add your own in the comments section.

Dictionary.com defines an intern as: “a person who works as an apprentice or trainee in an occupation or profession to gain practical experience, and sometimes also to satisfy legal or other requirements for being licensed or accepted professionally.”

If I look at my workload from that perspective and can parse out some things where an individual will gain practical experience, I’m on the road toward securing an intern. If I look at my workload and the needs are more administrative, I should probably look for an assistant. Don’t get me wrong – interns can definitely do SOME administrative work. We need to make sure they get a taste of the real world, but the emphasis needs to be on practical experience…something to put in their portfolio.

However, it’s important to look beyond the work I need done and look at what an intern needs. That’s where, as small business people, we need to take an honest look at the time we’re willing to invest. Do I have the time to help someone learn more about public relations or would I rather pay someone to go away and get the job done? Am I interested in building a long term relationship with a student whom I can watch grow and help succeed or do I just need to get the project done? Neither answer makes you a good/bad person but your honesty will help everyone succeed in the end.

My most successful intern experience was when I was able to give a very capable public relations student a project, meet with her regularly to determine benchmarks and next steps and then watch the final product come off the production line. In the end we were all happy and the client got a project completed they would never have been able to pay the agency’s AE rates to complete. More than 30 years later, we’re still mentoring each other. Click Here.

If you want to dedicate time and energy to an intern, which I highly recommend, take a look at PRSA’s Internship Guide. This extremely comprehensive guide was put together to help everyone get the most from the experience.

In addition, the Solo PR Pros LinkedIn group recently discussed issues pertaining to interns (including pay versus no pay), which is also useful to consider when looking at this topic.

What do you think? Is having interns worth the investment for you? Was being an intern critical to your career growth? What should professionals look for in successful interns? Interns in professional internships?

Mary Deming Barber, APR, Fellow PRSA, is president of The Barber Group, a communications consultancy created in 2000. She has counseled clients in Anchorage and San Francisco for more than 21 years. In addition, Mary has worked with variety of food organizations and worked on a successful US Senate campaign, spending time in Portland, Denver, San Francisco and Anchorage.

She serves on the Whitman College Alumni Board and as vice chair for PRSA’s College of Fellows. Mary recently completed four years of service on PRSA’s national Board of Directors and one on the PRSA Foundation’s Board. She is a past president of the Ad2 Division of the American Advertising Federation and the International Foodservice Editorial Council.

1)  How do you handle vacation, maternity leave, sick days, etc.?

2) What do you do when you get TOO much work? Touchy subject given the economy?

3) Do most solos have their own logo?

4) Would you enjoy a Solo PR Pro Facebook page?

See the full chat transcript in PDF for key insights from top solo PR pros on how to handle these situations.

How have you handled issues related to your own downtime or workload? Any additional bits of advice you can share?

The #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern – is a weekly ritual for some of the most savvy Solo PR Pros on Twitter. Anyone with a Twitter account is welcome to participate – see Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!

How and why did you “go out on your own”?

About three years ago, I was heading up the PR efforts for one of the largest homebuilder associations in the country – leading up public awareness campaigns, leadership positioning and crisis management for a variety of personalities and companies.  I began Big Noise out of a real desire to handle ‘non industry’ clients, taking on a few freelance gigs here and there and actually helping out with the local media relations efforts for Johnette Napolitano as she was touring in support of her solo effort, Scarred.  So, when the opportunity to handle the public relations for a NASCAR team based in Dallas – the only one based in Texas and a relatively small outfit – came up, I was intrigued.  The owner of the team was a bit of a paradox: a card-carrying Republican that was covered in tattoos and had a mouth like a sailor.  There mere fact that he was this little ‘David’ in the ‘Goliath’ world of NASCAR intrigued me, so I took him on as a client.  Big Noise Communications was then made ‘official’ out of sheer necessity to have an ‘offsite entity’ to serve as this team’s agency.

How do you find most of your clients?
Most of my clients have come about through word of mouth and recommendations.  Leaving a strong impression on current clients and colleagues has paid in dividends for me in this way.  It’s like having good karma in business – it’s all gravy when you handle yourself with integrity and moxie.

What are some examples of interesting projects you’ve been able to work on as an independent?
Some of the most interesting projects I’m finding myself involved with are still developing.  While I can’t say too much just yet, what I can tell you is that I’m in the process of working on a variety of things with folks like Todd Defren, Mary McKnight, David Mullen, Matt Batt and Arik Hanson. Additionally, from being able to work with Big Noise Communications full-time, I’ve been able to promote the ‘Narciso Tovar’ brand a bit more. As such, I’ve been asked to teach a couple of classes on Social Media and Public Relations to working professionals in the Fall.

What benefits of being independent have you experienced?
Going at it full-time with Big Noise Communications has been a great for a variety of reasons:

• More freedom – Since I’m the one who heads up the company, I’m the one that ultimately calls the shots, establishes methodologies and sets the tone for the brand.
• Greater focus – I’m no longer feeling the pressure to cross-sell services that I’m not as savvy on, nor am I feeling the need to ’share the love’ with different practices in-house.  Even though Big Noise Communications handles social media engagements and ALOT of things that fall under the ‘PR umbrella,’ that’s just it.  If we were to be approached with the prospect of doing some email marketing campaigns, print advertising, etc., I can simply pass along the opportunity to a company I can vouch for and trust.  The ability to do this is both invigorating and freeing.
• Increased flexibility – If I need to take in a movie in the middle of the day to unwind, I’ll do it.  If I just want to have a 15-minute ‘just shut up and dance’ time in the middle of the afternoon, I make it happen.  Moreover, I can be as mobile as I want/need to be.

What do you find to be the biggest challenges?
Going at it full time with Big Noise is still very exciting for me. Being able to contain this excitement and energy in a ‘normal’ 9-5 day has been more difficult for me than ever before.  Granted, there really are no true 9-5 hours in PR (or, at least, none that I know of); but since I have more than just our clients to consider (I have a company to think about, after all), it’s kinda’ hard to just turn it off.

What’s your favorite “guilty pleasure” that being solo allows you to do?
I can crank up my music to 11 without having to worry about bothering ‘the man’ – essentially giving me the ability to ‘Fight the Power’ with a lot more ease.

What are some important things to keep in mind to succeed as an independent consultant?
Whether you’re working as an independent or starting up your own practice,
you have to always remember three big things:

• Don’t take yourself too seriously – the moment you start rolling your eyes, thinking something is beneath you is the moment you’ve turned into a suit.  If people want to work with a suit, they’d go with the big dogs. More than likely, you’re not the kind of person that falls into this category.  Get your hands dirty and never hold yourself up to being the kind of person that has to be ‘handled’ in a certain way.
• Always be in sponge mode – there are so many things that are changing, improving, developing, etc. in communications that you need to always do your best to be reading and learning.  I know time is tight, but it will never let up.  You’ve got to make the time.
• Hold on loosely to your passion – to borrow the phrase from .38 Special (loved that song): “If you cling too tightly, you’re gonna lose control.” The best kind of passion is one that is free flowing like water – kind of like Bruce Lee.  This dude never let his fighting/self defense style get in the way of any one form.  He once said that “water can flow or it can crash.”  This is why tapping into your passions is so important because it will always be flowing and always ready to crash with ideas, excitement, energy and a desire to share.

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is virtually all PR and MarCom consultants behave as if we’re members of a highly connected and supportive club. We’re a band of brothers and sisters, and it’s us against the world! After all, each of us has our own unique strengths and areas of expertise, and there are plenty of opportunities to go around. For many of us, other consultants are our best source of referrals and new business.

I’ve seen this team spirit in full force lately, as I’ve had some minor medical issues that have meant I’m temporarily less productive than usual. Other solo PR pros have rallied to my side, and offered help wherever I need it. I’ll be out of the office for two weeks this month, and you’ll see a number of guest posts and interviews on this blog – brought to you by the amazing and smart folks in this loyal consultants alliance.

So to my fellow Solo PR Pros, thank you for your support, and for reminding me that one of the best things about being independent is the camaraderie I experience with all of you each day.

Photo credit: ajusticenetwork

We all need champions. If there’s anyone who doesn’t experience moments of insecurity, I haven’t met them. Each of us have demons that make us wonder: Am I good enough? Do I have what it takes? What if I can’t do it? In those moments, there’s only one thing to do: seek out your champions.

And by champion, I don’t mean someone who tells you what you want to hear. Instead, a champion is the person who tells you what you need to hear. Sometimes forcefully. Most of us have these people in our lives. An ally who give us a prodding when we need it (or sometimes a swift kick in the derrière), but who also feels passionately about our unlimited potential and what we’re capable of, and will tell us so emphatically and without reservation.

Claire knew how to be blunt – and the fact that she doled out the whole truth, coupled with her joie de vivre, inspired others to follow. She was a champion not just to me, but to many. It’s no coincidence that this champion was one of those people who did things the rest of us think about doing, but worry we can’t pull off. She wore hats. She ran half-marathons. She had a well-organized gift-wrapping station, knew how to bake complicated cookie recipes, and was the artisan behind truly inspired jewelry designs. But most of all Claire put her family far above everything else in life, and her friends were part of her extended family. Even now that she’s gone, I sometimes hear Claire’s voice in my head, urging me forward.

So when that devil on your shoulder is trying to have his way with you, telling you not to try new things, declaring that you should settle for the status quo because you’re never going to do better, don’t hesitate! Call up one of your champions immediately to get a pep talk (and a little dose of tough love, if needed).

And then give thanks for that person, and and cherish what they bring to your life.