Internships help to provide the foundation of experience organizations are looking for in graduating students. Below is a list of organizations that currently offer PR internships. If you are an organization interested in offering students PR internships, please contact Platform Magazine at platformmagazine@gmail.com.

Internships

A
Airfoil PR Inc. — Airfoil PR Inc. — Detroit

Alabama Golf Association — Alabama Golf Association — Birmingham, Ala.

Alfa Insurance — Marc Pearson — Montgomery, Ala.

Allison & Partners — Allison & Partners — San Francisco

American Cancer Society — American Cancer Society — U.S.

APCO — APCO — Washington, D.C.

Apple — Apple — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Art Directors Club — Art Directors Club — U.S.

Athelink — Bryon Evje — Atlanta, Ga.

Atomic PR — Atomic PR — San Francisco

B
BalletMet — BalletMet — Columbus, Ohio

Black Twig Communications — Black Twig Communications — St. Louis

Bliss PR — Bliss PR — New York

Birmingham Magazine — Birmingham Magazine — Birmingham, Ala.

Burns Entertainment & Sports Marketing,Inc. — Burns Entertainment & Sports Marketing,Inc. — Chicago, Ill.

C
C-SPAN — C-SPAN — Washington, D.C.

Cahaba Media Group — Cahaba Media Group — Birmingham, Ala.

Catalyst Public Relations — Catalyst Public Relations — New York

Cerrell Assocs — Cerrell Assocs — Los Angeles

Champion U — Champion U or Campion U Facebook

Clear Channel Radio — Dan Wentz — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Comms. Strategies — Comms. Strategies — Madison, NY

Consensus Planning Group — Consensus Planning Group — Los Angeles

Cooney/Waters Group — Cooney/Waters Group — New York

CooperKatz & Co. — CooperKatz & Co. — New York

Covey Publications — Covey Publications — Gulf Shores, Ala.

Coyne PR — Coyne PR — Parsippany, NJ

Crosby Marketing Communications — Crosby Marketing Communications — Annapolis, Md.

Cubitt Jacobs & Prosek — Cubitt Jacobs & Prosek — New York, NY

D
Dalton Agency — Dalton Agency — Jacksonville, Fla.

Davies — Davies — Santa Barbara, Calif.

Davies Murphy Group — Davies Murphy Group — Burlington, Mass.

Development Counselors Int’l. — Development Counselors Int’l. — New York

Deveney Communication — Deveney Communication — New Orleans, La.

Dukas Public Relations — Dukas Public Relations — New York

Dye, Van Mol & Lawrence — Dye, Van Mol & Lawrence — Nashville, Tenn.

E
Earth Creations®, inc. — Earth Creations®, inc. — Bessemer, Ala.

Easter Seals — Easter Seals — Birmingham, Ala.

Eco Surf Volunteers — Eco Surf Volunteers — Canoa, Ecuador

Edelman — Edelman — NYC and Chicago

Energen — Energen — Birmingham

Engauge — Engauge — Atlanta, Ga.

F
Fahlgren Mortine — Fahlgren Mortine — Columbus, Ohio

5W Public Relations — 5W Public Relations — New York

FoodMinds — FoodMinds — Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.

G
Gibbs & Soell — Gibbs & Soell — New York

Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama — Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama — Birmingham, Ala.

Goodyear — Contact: Jackie Brehm Edmondson, 256-549-2650 — Gadsden, Ala.

Gregory FCA Communications — Gregory FCA Communications — Ardmore, Pa.

GYMR — GYMR — Washington, D.C.

H
Hager Sharp, Inc. — Hager Sharp, Inc.">Hager Sharp, Inc. — Washington, D.C.

Heart Gallery AL — Heart Gallery AL — Birmingham, Ala.

HLB Communications — HLB Communications — Chicago

Houston Astros — Houston Astros — Houston, Texas

Hunter PR — Hunter PR — New York

I
ICR — ICR — Wesport, Conn.

Impact Alabama — Impact Alabama — Birmingham, Ala.

Institute on Political Journalism — Institute on Political Journalism — Washington, D.C.

Intermark Group PR — Intermark Group PR — Birmingham, Ala.

Intermarket — Intermarket — New York

J
Jackson Spalding — Jackson Spalding — Atlanta

Jascula/Terman & Assocs. — Jascula/Terman & Assocs. — Chicago

JohnstonWells PR — JohnstonWells PR — Denver

K
Kaplow Communications — Kaplow Communications — New York

Ketchum — Ketchum — New York

Kwittken & Co. — Kwittken & Co. — New York

L
Lambert, Edwards & Assocs. — Lambert, Edwards & Assocs. — Grand Rapids, Mich.

Lane Public Relations — Lane Public Relations — Portland, Ore.

LaunchSquad — LaunchSquad — San Francisco

Levick Strategic Communications — Levick Strategic Communications — Washington, D.C.

Linden Alschuler & Kaplan — Linden Alschuler & Kaplan — New York

Lou Hammond & Associates — Lou Hammond & Associates — New York

M
Makovsky & Co. — Makovsky & Co. — New York

ManiaTV! — ManiaTV! — Denver, Colo.

Martha Roby for Congress — Martha Roby for Congress — Montgomery, Ala.

Marvel Enterprises, Inc.— Marvel Enterprises, Inc. — New York

Matter Communications — Matter Communications — Boston

McNeely Pigott & Fox — McNeely Pigott & Fox — Nashville, Tenn.

MCS — MCS — Bedminster, N.J.

Merritt Group — Merritt Group — Reston, Va.

Midtown Village — Lynn Peters — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Moore Consulting Group — Moore Consulting Group — Tallahassee, Fla.

Morgan & Myers — Morgan & Myers — Jefferson, Wis.

MTV Networks Nashville (CMT) — MTV Networks Nashville (CMT) — Nashville, Tenn.

N
New York Theatre Workshop — New York Theatre Workshop — New York

Northcutt Media — Northcutt Media — Tuscaloosa/Auburn, Ala.

O
O2 Ideas — O2 Ideas — Birmingham, Ala.

OASIS (Orlando Area Student Intern Society) — OASIS — Orlando, Fla.

Ogilvy & Mather — Ogilvy & Mather — New York

P
Page One PR — Page One PR — Palo Alto, Calif.

PAN Communications — PAN Communications — Andover, Mass.

Paul Werth Assocs. — Paul Werth Assocs. — Columbus, Ohio

P.E. LaMoreaux & Associates,Inc. — P.E. LaMoreaux & Associates,Inc. — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

P.E. LaMoreaux & Associates,Inc. — P.E. LaMoreaux & Associates,Inc. — Atlantic City, N.J.

Peritus Public Relations — Peritus Public Relations — Louisville, Ky.

Planit — Planit — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Porter Novelli — Porter Novelli — New York

Public Communications — Public Communications — Chicago

Publicis — Publicis — New York

Q
Quinn & Co. — Quinn & Co.">Quinn & Co. — New York

R
Randall-Reilly — Randall-Reilly — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Rasky Baerlein — Rasky Baerlein — Boston

RBB Public Relations — RBB Public Relations — Miami

Regan Communications Group — Regan Communications Group — Boston

RF | Binder — RF | Binder — Partners, New York

Rogers Group — Rogers Group — Los Angeles

Ron Sachs Comms. — Ron Sachs Comms. — Tallahassee, Fla.

Rudder Finn Group — Rudder Finn Group — New York

S
S&S PR — S&S PR — Chicago

Shelton Group — Shelton Group — Dallas

Singer Associates — Singer Associates — San Francisco

Sirote & Permutt — Sirote & Permutt — Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile, Ala.

Smithsonian Institution, National Portrait Gallery — Smithsonian Institution, National Portrait Gallery — Washington, D.C.

Spark PR — Spark PR — San Francisco

Spectrum Science Comms. — Information — Washington, D.C.

Spring O’Brien & Co. — Information — New York

Stickell - Stickell- U.S.

Swartz Communications — Swartz Communications — Waltham, MA

T
Target Brand Ambassador — Emily Cress — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Text 100 International — Text 100 International — San Francisco, CA

The Agorean — The Agorean — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The Horn Group — The Horn Group — San Francisco

The Jeffrey Group — The Jeffrey Group — Miami

The Standing Partnership — The Standing Partnership — St. Louis, Mo.

Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority — Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Tuscaloosa News —
Tuscaloosa News — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Tuscaloosa Public Library — Tuscaloosa Public Library — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

U
UA Community Service Center — Joshua Burford — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

UA Ferguson Center — programasst@sa.ua.edu — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

UA Source Board of Governors — UA Source Board of Governors — Tuscaloosa, Ala.

V
W
Walek & Assocs. — Walek & Assocs. — New York

Walt Disney World — Walt Disney World — Orlando, Fla.

Washington Intern Student Housing — Washington Intern Student Housing — Washington

Weber Shandwick – International — Weber Shandwick — New York

Widmeyer Communications — Widmeyer Communications — Washington, D.C.

Wilbanks Agency — Wilbanks Agency — Birmingham, Ala.

William Mills & Assocs. — William Mills & Assocs. — Atlanta

Winning Strategies PR — Winning Strategies PR — Newark, N.Y.

Woman’s Missionary Union — Woman’s Missionary Union — Birmingham, Ala.

X
Xenophon Strategies — Xenophon Strategies — Washington, D.C.

Y
Z
Zeno Group — Zeno Group — New York

by Scott Young

We see many articles and blog posts about what PR isn’t, but rarely do we see information about what PR really is outside the classroom. Students seem to be confused as they enroll for PR classes. I hear students in class say, “I am going to be a spokesperson for someone famous or just plan events because I am not a good writer.” While that would be a great job for some, I think it’s important to understand what most PR jobs entail, especially for those of us just entering the PR field.

As I searched for jobs, I realized what many of the potential employers were looking for: several years of PR experience. How do college students expect to land the perfect job without the necessary experience? Many of us will work for an organization as either a lower-level employee or an intern to gain experience. Others will find great jobs with organizations — starting at the bottom of the hierarchy. Most of these positions are not as glamorous as being a spokesperson for someone famous; however, they are good examples of what most PR practitioners believe are the more traditional PR jobs, and they are a great way to gain experience.

As students, our classes require us to spend many nights writing news releases, media advisories, communication plans, campaign proposals and newsletters. I write many of these same things as an intern in the public relations field. My typical days include disseminating messages through social media, outside electronic signs, indoor TV system, Web site, Intranet and e-mail. I am responsible for writing the quarterly e-newsletter, a 12-page publication resembling a magazine. The demand for high-quality production sharpened my writing skills and allowed me to mature as a future PR professional.

What can students expect as they transition from students to professional working in the traditional PR setting?

Most government PR job positions involve using many of the same traditional PR tactics learned in the classroom. I talked with Public Affairs Officer and Chief of Stakeholder Relations Damon Stevenson at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center about his perception of public relations and what students can expect as they enter the job market searching for employment.

“I think that solid writing skills are the most important thing recent PR graduates need to have when trying to enter the job market,” said Stevenson. “If someone can’t express themselves in writing without grammatical errors, punctuation errors and other blunders, then they certainly can’t give the impression that they can actually benefit your organization. When I see poor writing from not only PR graduates, but also other graduates, it makes me wonder what they learned in four years of college. I know the writing courses I received in college as a PR major set the foundation for which I’ve built a career as a PR professional.”

Stevenson said having solid writing skills was the key to landing an interview with a reputable company. He said most employers will discard a poorly written resume or application, giving the applicant no chance at an interview.

Due to the large numbers of people searching for employment, today’s job market is very competitive. Students must be prepared for the challenges they will face as they search for employment and as they begin new careers. Stevenson offered interesting insight from the viewpoint of a supervisor in the PR field.

“For someone just entering the job market, they will be expected to be able to write in AP style, use desktop publishing software and help write speeches or develop talking points,” said Stevenson. “The most important thing to remember is to not be too prideful – remember you may be the one who is asked to perform some basic clerical duties that you will wonder why a college graduate is being asked to perform. If you perform these somewhat mind-numbing tasks with the same energy and enthusiasm that you handle other projects, it will show your new boss you are a team player.”

Stevenson said bosses assign basic office tasks to see how new employees will react to different situations.

Stevenson wanted to remind students studying PR that their job won’t always be glamorous.

“Someone has to order punch and cake for a ribbon cutting ceremony or other function,” Stevenson said. “Someone has to secure servers for such a function. There are a million small details that must be addressed for every event.”

Many PR positions don’t include publicity. Stevenson talked about the behind-the-scenes work.

“There is so much work that happens behind the scenes to ensure the success of an event,” said Stevenson. “Even as a manager with 15 years’ experience, I still get my hands dirty with the details. It isn’t all just kissing babies and wearing the right suit.”

What about working for an agency?

Agencies offer more of a variety of daily job tasks because of the many different types of services offered. Some agencies offer strictly PR, while others offer a combination of marketing, advertising and PR. Carol Woodruff, founder and CEO of Checkpoint Marketing, spoke about what her job requires of her on a daily basis.

Woodruff said she finds herself performing many of the tasks most organizations would probably assign to less experienced subordinates. As a small business owner, she wears several hats each day. One minute she’s working with a client to develop a crisis management plan; in the next minute, she’s planning an event at one of the local shopping malls. Most people think small business owners have more free time to do things other than work. Woodruff felt much of her time was spent working on things related to basic operational tasks.

“I do whatever it takes to make things happen,” said Woodruff. “I wouldn’t ask any of my employees to do something I wouldn’t be willing to do. Each day I find myself writing communication plans for my clients, delivering printed materials at all hours of the day and just handling everyday office duties. It takes teamwork from everyone to offer a good service to our clients.”

Are all PR jobs the same?

While these perspectives may not apply to every PR position, they do represent what the majority of beginning PR jobs entail. However, there are exceptions to the rules; some agencies are taking on a new appearance in defining today’s PR field and what daily tasks entail.

Although she’s not a celebrity spokesperson, Phyllis Neill, president and CEO of WeMentor Social Media Marketing, has a job that is “one of those exceptions.” She developed a marketing firm specializing in nothing but social media marketing. Recently, she talked about her perspective of PR and how she came to be the first marketing firm in the Birmingham area that offers nothing but social media marketing to its clients.

Neill felt the PR industry has gone through lots of changes throughout the years, but one of the biggest changes has been social media.

“Social media has COMPLETELY changed the way PR professionals do their job,” said Neill. “For example, in the old days, when I graduated from college (1990), good PR professionals had strong relationships with all the traditional media outlets so that when one of their clients had a press release or a strong story lead, they would reach out to those traditional outlets in hopes of getting coverage. Nowadays, so much of this is handled by social media, since there is a much better opportunity of getting coverage in this manner.”

Neill said many traditional PR firms hope college graduates understand the networking capabilities of social media, in addition to being able to write and edit well.

“Developing a really strong network on LinkedIn is absolutely essential for a PR job these days, as is the ability to think in terms of what’s hot in the industry right now, and how that can relate to your clients’ need for press,” said Neill. “For example, if you are doing PR for a new engineering firm who is looking to get corporate identity recognition press, you must be able to figure out a way to tie in something that is popular in the news currently, and tie it to your client in order to get attention. For example, you might suggest that an executive from the engineering firm lead a free workshop on getting engineering jobs in this economy, and then reach out to your news contacts about this – with unemployment and job searches being a hot topic in the news today, they might be very interested in writing an article on this angle.”

Neill said she spends much of her time networking. She said meeting new people and reconnecting with former colleagues and industry professionals were important; many of her business leads come from networking. She keeps up with changing trends, providing her with the necessary information to give her clients the best possible service.

Whatever your PR passion turns out to be, remember to make sure you are happy with the job you choose. If you don’t like writing, reading, editing and working hard to ensure success, you may want to rethink your career path. I can assure you: your first job most likely won’t be a management position or owner of an agency. Expect to work your way up the ladder.

Now that you know what a few PR professionals in the field think PR is, what is your take?