The Intern’s Take: Life in the PR World By Kristen McBride

The staff meeting, the conference call, the “getting to know you” phase, the bad call, the coverage, and a day in the life of the CEO. Though all of these did not happen on the same day, they made a great difference in my time here at Communication Solutions Group. It may seem like random events, but their sequence is utmost important. For example, if I had “the bad call” on my first day, things probably would’ve looked much different. Like a novel, each “chapter” of my story at Communication Solutions Group was a memorable and important lesson that I will carry with me as I move forward into the working world.

The first staff meeting

I started on a Monday morning and walked into the weekly staff meeting. There was only one other person there besides myself and the CEO. Wondering where everyone else was, I soon realized they were on the phone. I wasn’t aware that there were other employees who worked from home, home being in New York, the Poconos, and Pittsburgh. I began to wonder how they could communicate so efficiently and be sure that everyone was on the same page. I could barely do so with a group project with everyone on the same campus, let alone in a different state! After listening to every employee at the staff meeting, I had an explanation: everyone has a different group of clients, some of which cross over between people, but interact with other coworker’s client projects at some point. There are so many different pieces to this puzzle –and all of them are moving at once! It sounds overwhelming, but I found it really awesome.

The conference call

The number one thing you should know about a conference call is simple: if there are more than five people on a line, you should probably hit the mute button until it’s your turn to talk. This happened to me when I joined a conference call on my second day in the office with about eight or nine board members of a large association. They were all super friendly, and weren’t totally aware of my presence, but they could hear my cubicle neighbor talking to one of his clients, and they know that my boss has her own office. Combining this with intense active listening makes for a very informational phone call.

The “getting to know you” phase

One of my favorite things about interning with Communication Solutions Group was meeting the amazing employees. Even though they are quite a few years older than me, they treated and respected me like an adult and not some random 19 year old college kid. I enjoyed interviewing everyone about their current role in the company, their career paths before working here, and their favorite parts about working for Communication Solutions. Every member of their staff told me their story –how they got there, where they were from, and the changes they’ve been through since starting at Communication Solutions Group. The conclusion I was able to draw from all of this was humbling: bigger isn’t always better. Smaller firms can help people establish themselves professionally through a variety of experiences before moving up into bigger firms. Bigger firms may have hundreds of interns and even more employees, but that doesn’t guarantee new employees will gain a new skill or improve in any way. From this, I’ve learned that I’m not cut out for the big corporate world and that there’s still plenty of work to be done in the smaller corporations. I’d rather work at a smaller firm that gives me a hands-on experience with plenty of opportunities for growth than a big firm that only offers me a check and a nametag.

The bad call

By the end of my first week, I had sat in on one “bad call.” It wasn’t anything dramatic, but the call showed me that there aren’t always sunshine and rainbows at work. The call included a client and their other public relations firm that was basically making our responsibilities their own. I thought a battle was being waged, but it was really just a simple compromise. The call went better than expected, since all parties came to an agreement of who is in charge of certain responsibilities. The reason why I sat in on this call was to see the negotiation skills being used and how to troubleshoot a reoccurring problem. This conversation displayed skills that are transferrable to any firm –or any job really. The best negotiation is not argument, it’s compromise.

The coverage

On my first day, I was given my first assignment: covering a client’s media event. At first, I thought the CEO was kidding –she wasn’t. Three days later, I set out to one of the local elementary schools to cover said event. It was a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) presentation by a female news anchor from a local TV station. When I first walked in, I, a 19 year old college student, was called “ma’am” which shocked me quite a bit! Recovering from the surprise, I entered the library and got to meet the TV news personality herself. I then shadowed the room, pacing back and forth taking photos from every angle, hoping to catch a few good ones with just the right lighting. I scrambled to get quotes from the young students about their experiences with both the STEAM Program and meeting the news anchor. It was fascinating to hear what they had to say about the presentation and to see the spark of joy and inspiration in their eyes. Seeing a school hard at work, actively shaping and encouraging young people to believe in themselves and what they’re capable of was incredible. It was truly a majestic moment.

The life in a day with the CEO

There are plenty of perks of working in a smaller business setting, but one of them is getting to spend the day with the CEO of the company. (I doubt anyone from a giant Fortune 500 company can say that). On this day, I was invited to sit in on a potential client pitch. The possible client’s office was a nice 45 minute drive away, which left plenty of time to get to know her on a more personal level. I asked her questions about her first job and what it was like starting her own business. Hearing her stories about college and first starting out in the public relations industry was refreshing. She didn’t try to make it seem glamorous because it wasn’t –it was a real world experience that has happened to more people than I’d like to think. Not only was the car ride enlightening, but seeing this powerhouse woman, being her own boss and pitching her services to a potential client, had me awestruck. There has never been a time that I felt so inspired by someone who was just living their daily life and doing what they loved.

Reflecting on my time here at Communication Solutions Group, I’ve realized that the job market –and the world– are changing and no one wants to be in one place forever. As a person soon to be entering the working world, there is so much pressure to fit this corporate mold that every company wants, but I don’t believe in that mold. Communication Solutions Group welcomed me with such open arms and coached me into making my own mold. They took me on, knowing I had a slightly different background than what they were used to and we learned from each other. Everyone shared a rarely spoken, intimate piece of their lives with me when explaining how they got their start at Communication Solutions Group. I am truly honored to have worked with such kind and intelligent people for a brief period of time. But I’ve determined that my forever, though very far away, is going to look a lot like my time at Communication Solutions Group: small, wholesome, and happy.

About the Author:

Kristen McBride is a sophomore business major at Ithaca College. She currently serves as the Director of Public Relations for 92 WICB Ithaca, a radio station part of the Park School of Communications. Growing up in Holland, Bucks County, Kristen has loved exploring and living near Philadelphia. Someday, she hopes to open a business of her own.