Now that we’re in the final weeks of August, summer interns are preparing to head back to school. It is time to pack up your desk and say your goodbyes. Before walking out the door though, here are some things you should keep in mind.

REVIEW YOUR PROGRESS

After a summer’s worth of work, what have you learned? Think back to all the responsibilities you were tasked with during your internship and what you’ve learned. If it helps, set up a meeting with your manager to discuss the progress you have made. This is a good opportunity to review your strengths and weaknesses, outline any achievements, and go over on any areas that need improving. If you had goals set for yourself at the start of the internship, reflect on them and marvel at what you’ve achieved.

PAVE FUTURE JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Be resourceful and keep your options open. Letting your company know that you are open to future job opportunities will keep you in their mind if a position pops up. PR companies often hire their full-time employees through previous interns because they are already aware of their work habits and what they are capable of. Even if you plan to venture out and work at another company, it never hurts to have the extra option.

LEAVE ON A GOOD NOTE

Don’t slack off during your last days with the company. Even when all you can think about are those last days of summer you get to enjoy when work is over, being sloppy with your responsibilities will leave a bad impression. Be consistent with the quality of your work, particularly if you plan on using members in your company as a future reference.

SAY YOUR GOODBYES

Never leave the office on the last day without saying anything. It comes off as unprofessional and it makes you look bad. Say goodbye to everyone you have worked with this summer and thank them for their patience and guidance!

KEEP IN CONTACT WITH YOUR MANAGER

It is always good to keep in touch with your superior and other employees you’ve collaborated with. Check back with them every once in a while to see how things are, perhaps even a coffee date? You can talk about the projects their company is currently working on or what you have been up to professionally as well. Also, managers are the way to go if you ever need professional advice or some mentoring. Building a mentor-mentee relationship can definitely help through your professional journey. With social media so accessible, it is easier to stay connected. Just be aware of what you are posting and who are seeing your posts!

APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

What you take away from your internship will stay with you throughout your career. If you are going back to school, use your new skillset to your advantage. What you have learned during the summer will help you understand what is being taught in the classroom. This works both ways. Think about what you are learning from the books and apply that to the real world. Knowing how to apply and utilize your knowledge is everything.

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Public relations newbies, do not let your summers waste away! The end of August will slowly but surely creep up on you and you don’t want to have nothing to show for it when it does. Use this extra time to prepare and put yourself ahead of others. Being a newbie myself, these are the few things that really helped me get started.

Do Your Research

You don’t have to plan everything out, but researching about the PR field is a good start. Get to know the different sectors and get a heads up on what to expect. Pay attention to the day-to-day responsibilities, potential outlook and opportunities, earnings, and the educational path you need to take to get there.

PR Radar

It’s always important to stay on top of the news and what is going on in the PR field. Put the companies you want to work for on your radar and take note of their latest moves and projects. This will be useful for when you want to apply for a position in their company. You can read their press releases, join their LinkedIn company profile, or subscribe to their Twitter feed.

Perfect Your Cover Letter and Resume

Your cover letter and resume are written first impressions. Use your cover letter to pull potential employers in by providing a brief summary of your experience and what assets you can bring to the table. Stay away from using cliché words and phrases. Keep your letter light and interesting to read. Your resume should complement your letter. This is where you provide a more detailed description of previous education, work experience and responsibilities.

Remember to proofread everything before sending your applications out. Ask others to read it over; they might notice small errors that you may have overlooked.

Do an Internship

PR is all about the internships. Although your academic background is an important factor, previous related work experience is invaluable. Use the internship to start building professional relationships and to learn as much as you can. Soak up everything that happens around you and never be afraid to ask questions or share ideas. The more you put into the position, the more you will get out of it.

An internship is also the perfect opportunity to make personal decisions about what you do and do not want to do in the future. As an intern, you will get to do a little bit of everything so take note on the areas that best suits your skills and interests.

Use your connections and reach out to professionals

Use your connections. A big part of PR is the people you know so it is never too early to start building your network. If there is a PR professional that you have the smallest mutual connection with, don’t be afraid of reach out to them and see if they’re up for setting up an informational meeting or interview. The best way is to reach them through email or twitter.

Since social media has grown to have a large presence in public relations, venture out onto their company’s Facebook or Twitter pages. Leaving smart comments and retweets will show your interest in their company. The point is, get noticed!

With that said, do not pester the person you are trying to reach out to. If they don’t get back to you, it is probably because they are too busy at the moment or they are not interested. Don’t spam them with emails or Facebook likes. When they want to or have the time to respond, they will.

Go On Interviews

Even if you already have in internship secured, go to the interview. Use it to gain the extra experience or see it as practice for future interviews. It also gives you a chance to talk to someone who is currently in the field, so any information or advice you get from them will be useful. Ask questions and keep their feedback in mind.

If you have the time and ability, it never hurts to juggle two internships at once either. And you never know, you might land an internship for fall from one of these interviews!

Start building up your portfolio

A portfolio can help you alongside the cover letter and resume in a job application or interview. Start collecting pieces of your work that best reflect your strengths. If you’re better in writing, put together the short stories that you have written in your free time or the press release assignments from school. If your strengths lie in the visual side, build a portfolio of your animations and artworks. This gives employers a chance to see what you are capable of and what to expect from you as a potential intern.

Expand your LinkedIn profile

Before calling you in for an interview, employers will probably look for your LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have one already, make one. LinkedIn is a useful online tool that can be used to showcase your work experience and develop a processional online presence. It makes for faster networking and also easier for employers to contact you.

Click here for tips on how to brand yourself on LinkedIn!

Don’t Throw Away Business Cards
If a PR professional gives you their business card, keep it. You might need a favour or someone’s contact info one day.

Written by EDPR intern, Vivian Kwong