This document provides information about internships at a public relations agency called Coyne Public Relations. It discusses the benefits of internships, how interns can prepare and develop skills, different teams interns can be placed on, issues related to internships, how to stand out as an intern, lessons learned from internships, and concludes that internships provide valuable real-world experience to help students' future careers.

1. Internship Handbook

2. Table of Contents
Introduction…………………………………………………………… 3
a. The definition of an internship………………………………. 3
The Beauty Team………………………………………………………4
Benefits for Interns…………………………………………………….5
The Skill Development of an Intern…………………………………...6
How to Prepare for an Internship………………………………………7
The Food Team……………………………………………………….. 8
Issues Related to Internships…………………………………………..9
a. Paid Internships……………………………………………….9
b. Unpaid Internships……………………………………………10
c. How supervisors should treat interns…………………………10-11
How to stand out as an intern…………………………………………..12-14
Lessons learned after an internship…………………………………….14
Conclusion.................................................................................................15

3. Introduction
Coyne Public Relations is a Public Relations agency that specializes in all different
industries which include automotive, beauty and fashion, business & industry,
consumer technology, education, Food, beverage & nutrition, healthcare, media &
publishing, multicultural, non-profit, pet & animal, real estate & development,
restaurant, retail, sports & entertainment, toy & juvenile, and travel & tourism.
This agency gives juniors and seniors in college an opportunity to get real world
and hands-on experience in a Public Relations agency. Interns get the chance to
participate in brainstorms, create media lists, and send emails. At Coyne, interns
are treated like full time employees and interns at this agency get paid for their
time and effort.
“An internship is a structured and career-relevant work experiences obtained by
students prior to graduation from an academic program” (Taylor, 1988).

4. The Beauty Team
As my first semester as an intern, I was placed on the beauty and fashion team. This team
consisted of about eight people and there were two people who were in the entry level position,
the Account Coordinators. There was one account coordinator on the beauty side of the team and
there was one account coordinator on the fashion side of the team. They were my mentors and
people I could turn to for advice; they weren’t interns that long ago and they could relate to me
just as I could relate to them.
On the beauty and fashion team one of my responsibilities was to coordinate mailers. Mailers are
when the team comes up with creative ideas with the products that they have and they send them
to bloggers and editors of magazines. This helps them get their product out there and this will
help for all of the media to say positive things about the product.
While also on this team I created a lot of media lists which is pulling together all of the editors of
major fashion magazines and pulling together top bloggers so that we know where to send all of
the mailers and who we are addressing it to.

5. Benefits for Interns
Internships give students many benefits and advantages:
 Transition experience from the university to the work environment
o Interns learn job-related knowledge and skills and
employer workplace skills.
 Interns- Bridge between the theory of the classroom and the world
of practice.
 Internships provide students with the opportunity to:
o Gain knowledge about their career within their own
industry
o Identify general work-related preferences
o Develop deeper vocational interests
(Maertz, 2014)

6. The Skill Development of an Intern
 Interns have a keen sense of what makes compelling and interesting news.
 They must juggle multiple projects simultaneously
o Planning marketing events, writing press releases,creating media lists, creating
media kits, and digital campaigns.
 Act Responsibly
o Interns need to arrive to work on time and responsible interns do not use their
phones or anything to distract them or take them away from their work.
 Meet Deadlines
o An intern makes sure that all of their assignments are handed in on time.
 Creates Fact Sheets and Collects Data
o An intern must collect information about their clients and create fact sheets about
these products and client. They must know how to make them interesting and
make them stand out.
 Understands Technology
o Interns must know how to use the computer and how to use all social media; this
kind of technology is used every day.
 Attends Meetings
o An intern should attend meetings and brainstorms to understand what is going on
on a day-to-day basis and to understand the work and the clients.
 Communicates Clearly
o An intern must communicate clearly and effectively either by phone, email, or in
person; they must have excellent written and verbal skills.
(Finn, 2016)

7. How to Prepare for an Internship
These following tips on how to prepare for an internship will make you irreplaceable and
respected by employers:
 Learn Your Industry
o Take notes about topics, trends, and thought leaders of your industry.
 Google Yourself
o Make sure your search results aren’t “risky”; don’t be afraid to show up in the
ranks.
 Develop Your Online Persona
o Read what industry leaders are saying in the social space and actively comment.
 Know New Media
o You need to understand why Foursquare, Facebook and Twitter are relevant to
your industry and company.
 Teach Boomers New Media
o You’re able to communicate and apply the technologies to senior management;
this will serve value.
 Thank You Cards
o Write a hand-written note to anyone who assisted you in landing this internship.
 Never Say No
o When you’re asked to do something, do it but do it better than anyone else.
(Matthews,2011)

8. The Food Team
As an intern for a second semester, I was placed on the Food Team. This team consisted of about
14 people and on this team there was the Just Born Side of the team and that dealt with all of the
candy and food clients and then there was the Pfizer Side of the team and that dealt with all of
the medicine clients.
On this team, I had a lot of mentors and there were a lot of people to give me advice. Because
this team was so large I got to learn much more than I did on the Beauty Team and I got to learn
about other industries as well. This team helped me realize that being on another team than what
I was used to was a great experience because it helped me to broaden my horizon and realize that
there are other possibilities.
While interning on this team I created mailers, created media lists, attended meetings, did media
audits and media monitoring, drafted press releases, made phone calls, sent emails and conducted
a lot of research.
I got a lot of experience while interning on this team and I felt as though I was being treated as a
full time employee. Being a senior in college, I really appreciated that and felt honored to be a
part of this team and as in intern at this company.

9. Issues Related to Internships
Internships are a great experience for students to gain knowledge about their
specific industry, to network with other people, and to build a solid foundation for
their careers. However, there are specific issues that occurwhen dealing with
internships:
Paid Internships
 When organizations hire and pay their interns, the organization
provides a great deal of personal and professional satisfaction for
the interns and the managers.
 Paying the interns gives them a sense of satisfaction and
accomplishment.
 Grooming the next generation of PR practitioners helps ensure that
they will make immediate contributions to any team.
 Organizations afford both the intern and the organization the
opportunity to continue the relationship once the formal-intern
program has concluded.
(DeVries, 2003)

10. Unpaid Internships
 Unpaid interns spend more time on clerical tasks and less on the
type of duties that employers value.
 Students who are required to complete an internship to meet degree
requirements must have the financial resources to absorb a loss of
income from accepting an unpaid internship, the cost of tuition for
required credits.
o Students must pay dearly to become uncompensated workers.
(Durack, 2013)
Supervisors and Interns
A supervisor is someone that an intern turns to first when they have any questions
or concerns. However, if supervisors are busy, it is hard for them to remember that
the interns are there and that could an issue. Supervisors do care about their interns
and here are a few ways how:
 Hopes and Expectations (Daugherty, 2011)
o They hope interns fall into 3 themes: a solid work ethic,
professional development and contribution to the business.

11.  Greatest Fears and Anxieties
o Getting an intern with a poorwork ethic and mistakes made by
the intern. They fear that the intern does not possessthe desire
to learn and contribute.
 Greatest Challenges
o A supervisor’s greatest challenge is the lack of time that they
have and to make sure that the intern is truly learning and
growing from the experience.
(Daugherty, 2011)
*Supervisors do care about their interns and it is important for interns to know about their
supervisor’s fears, challenges, and expectations so that the intern can be aware and understand if
their supervisor is not getting back to them right away. Interns are not the only ones who are
busy and they need to understand that their supervisors have important jobs as well.

12. How to Stand out as an Intern
Interns should always find a way to stand out and show their employers that they
are capable of being a full-time employee and that they are reliable and
responsible.
 Do Your Homework Before the First Day
o Refresh your memory before your first day and learn about the history and
culture of the organization.
 Dress for Success
o The way that people dress affects not only how others see them but also
how they see themselves including how they think and feel about their
own abilities.
 Treat the Internship like a Real Job
o You need to take your work seriously; your work will have an impact on
the organization.
 Have a “just in case” outfit in your Desk Drawer
o Always have a tie or a nice pair of shoes in your desk because you never
know when you will need to go to an event or a meeting.
 Practice Good Time Management
o It is important to be organized, be careful not to take on too much, and to
let someone know if you can’t complete a project by the deadline.
 Socialize (With a Filter)

13. o Take the time to get to know your colleagues, but be appropriate.
 Ask Questions
o Don’t be afraid to ask questions and step outside your comfort zone.
 Be Flexible
o Learn to be adaptive, and you’ll broaden your opportunities.
 Network
o Take the opportunity to build as many quality relationships at your
internship as possible.
 Find a Mentor
o Intern should ask their boss about their experience and for words of
wisdom.
 Take Initiative, but Accept Guidance
o Be eager to help but don’t take on everything at once and don’t sign up for
everything.
 Be Respectful, but Assertive
o Interns should step outside of their comfort zone and to do boring but
necessary tasks with good grace.
 Challenge Yourself
o Try to challenge yourself and do something that you have never done
before.
 Keep Tabs on your Accomplishments
o For future job applications, keep track of specific facts and figures about
your performance.

14.  Ask for Feedback
o The feedback will uncover your strengths and what you need to improve
on.
(Smith, 2014)
Lessons Learned After an Internship
After students completed their internships, there are lessons that are going to be learned and
students will leave their internship knowing they did their best and that they are prepared to enter
the real world and that they are prepared to start their careers. Below are the lessons that interns
will learn after completing an internship:
 Be punctual in all aspects
 Be eager and show enthusiasm as an intern
 Adopt new skills
 Research your targets
 Cultivate a strong social media presence
 Connect with people at your career-level
 Find out what makes good things stand out
 Do your own thing
(DeLeon, 2015)

15. Conclusion
Internships can be overwhelming and at times they can be stressful
because students have to learn how to multitask, communicate
effectively, and learn how to become responsible and reliable.
Internships are something that every student should consider
because it’s a great experience and is a great advantage for future
careers. Students will have a better understanding of their industry and
they will feel more confident once they begin their careers.
Employers will appreciate that students take the initiative to learn
more about their industry and students with internships will have more
an advantage to get a full time job because they have more experience.