The End of My First Internship

Tourists are leaving town in flocks, “Back to School” signs are around every corner, the days are getting shorter, and the weather is getting cooler. Summer is ending, and soon, so will my internship at Caster. I am headed into my junior year of college with a whole new mindset about the working world. This was my very first internship; therefore, I had no prior experience working in an office, and I had no notion of what to expect walking in on my first day. I learned a lot at Caster about public relations and its inner workings, and also how to work functionally in an office space and collaborate with others.  

What did I learn at Caster?  

I came to Caster with a marketing background, which made public relations and communications fairly new to me. I started my first two weeks of training by learning the basics – what PR is, how PR works, and how to use office websites (e.g., Muck Rack, Office365, FreshBooks, Slack, WordPress, etc.). I was taught how to draft some of Caster’s content including Tweets, graphics, and blogs, as well as how to upload press releases to the Caster site. I was also taught how to work for clients by creating press kits and media lists, pitching to journalists, and finding speaking opportunities for them. I learned many different skills, especially those in writing and researching.  

On the office side of things, I learned how to work in a professional setting and how to communicate with colleagues and clients appropriately. It was important for me to ask questions if I was confused or ask for some guidance if I struggled with a certain task. Communication was one of the principal factors that created a well-run and cohesive workspace, and the more I spoke to certain team members, the more I grew closer to them as well. I also learned how to take feedback and apply it to my work. Receiving comments and reviews from my experienced coworkers only benefited my work and allowed me to recognize and fix what I was doing wrong the next time around. I received first-hand experience working with different people on a variety of projects that will help me decide what jobs I may want to apply for in the future. 

Why is it important to have an internship?  

I learned a great amount at Caster, both about PR and working efficiently, which is why interning is crucial to growing as a professional. Interning is the first step into the corporate world. It is a terrific way to network and learn about your field of study and those associated with it. You can gain work experience in an office environment and apply that knowledge to your career. Internships can sharpen your skills, elevate your understanding of work, build connections, and help give you confidence in the workplace. There are many varied factors when it comes to choosing what jobs to apply for, and interning helps you learn about what you want and do not want in a job. Interning gives you an idea of what working professionally is like, and it is important to see if your chosen field is really for you. The experience of an internship at a company in your desired field can give you perspective that other jobs may not.  

My Favorite Days at Caster 

Looking back, my time at Caster was filled with numerous enjoyable experiences, and among them, a handful of moments stood out.  

The Meyers Sound event at the Providence Performing Arts Center took place at the beginning of my internship. I was not working with the client, but our SVP Alex invited me to Providence to see their demo in person. I have always loved music, so seeing a concert speaker demo was exciting. They also had a live drummer come and perform! It was loud and entertaining, and I saw what PR outside the office looked like.  

Another fun time was Caster Week! Caster Week took place toward the end of my internship. It was an action-packed week where everyone from the team traveled to Rhode Island. I was excited to meet everyone face-to-face and spend some time with them off a Zoom call. I shared lunch with my team members every day and had the opportunity to get to know them better.  

I got to shadow a media training led by our founder Kim – I learned how to properly speak to journalists and was fortunate to meet some of our clients in person as well. It was cool to watch the entire process and see the preparation it takes for an interview.  

While these moments stood out from the rest, my entire time at Caster was engaging.  

My Final Thoughts   

Overall, interning at Caster was a wonderful experience, and I had an amazing time getting to know the team. I learned about the very hectic but incredibly fun world of PR. I enjoyed learning from everyone on the team, especially Lexie and Sarah who helped me figure out what projects I liked to do the most. Figuring out what I genuinely enjoy working on was one of my main goals during this internship.  

I am excited to return to college and apply my newfound skills to my schoolwork. I feel as though I grew both academically and professionally in completing this internship. I am grateful for the experience and opportunity to work at Caster, and I am looking forward to what is next in my career. 😊