PR Intern Diaries: Jenna

Happy Friday everyone! Our intern Jenna tackled a topic this week that everyone deals with- making mistakes. They are inevitable as we are all human. However, it's how you proceed that makes a difference. Slowing down and paying attention to the task at hand can be helpful, as well as asking questions. One of the biggest ways to avoid silly mistakes is to take tons of notes. I remember when I was an intern, I filled up tons of notebooks and note pads because I wrote down everything someone said!

Here's what Jenna had to say:

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Hey everyone! This week I wanted to write about something I’m pretty good at, making mistakes. This is my first public relations experience ever, so of course I’m not perfect. As someone who considers themselves to be a perfectionist, this is a little hard to deal with, but I’ve begin to come to terms with it. 

I’ve learned that as interns, we’re not meant to be kick ass practitioners right away. We’re really still little babies learning how to walk and talk in the world of PR. We’re also still students, and while we’re here to assist and help out where we can, we’re also mainly here to learn. And of course, everyone says that some of the most valuable learning experience is gained through making mistakes. 

Some of the most important lessons I’ve learned from making mistakes is to double check, then triple check, and even check a fourth time to make sure all the information is correct. I can admit to getting a little sloppy and rushed when feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work I have. I’ve also learned how important it is to listen to criticism. At first, my pitches were a little rough, and understandably so as I’ve never written one before. Now I can really see myself improving and even got my first reply back from and editor today! 

Finally, through all the mistakes I’ve made so far, I’ve learned how to handle making mistakes. It’s impossible to be perfect all of the time, so learning how to overcome and harness the disappointing feeling into usable, beneficial energy will be a really helpful skill. I like to take deep breathes to recenter my mind and help me to keep going. A bubble bath and watching your favorite guilty please movie, Clueless for me, after work never hurts either! 

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XO,

Lynette