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Tag: PR Internships

Quality Over Quantity: Why I Stuck with Clairemont

Quality Over Quantity: Why I Stuck with Clairemont

February 13, 2018January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternBlog, Raleigh PR Agency, The Clairemont TeamClairemont Communications, creative PR agency, interns, PR Internships, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency

It wasn’t long before I knew I really liked working at Clairemont. Within the first week, I dove head-first into follow-up calls, blog posts and coverage reports – the building blocks of PR that I’d practiced in classes and previous internships.

James Huff, chef at Babalu Tapas & Tacos, teaches WRAL’s Kathy Hanrahan how to make its delicious guacamole in the week before the restaurant’s opening.

What captured me most about Clairemont, however, was the opportunities it provided me to interact directly with clients. On my second day, I met a Clairemont team member at Babalu Tapas & Tacos, a Chapel Hill restaurant for which Clairemont planned a grand opening. I witnessed media interviews, listened to Clairemont strategize with the Babalu marketing team and talked with the owner about his journey to Chapel Hill.

In essence, I quickly learned that Clairemont was a good fit for me.

Throughout the fall semester, I gained on-site experience with various clients and strengthened my writing, pitching and researching skills. I felt challenged and excited by the work; I felt proud of what I produced and eager to learn from the Clairemont team. Clairemont’s welcoming and intimate environment allowed me to feel not only part of the team but also at home.

So, naturally, I didn’t want my time with Clairemont to end when the fall semester did. I decided to extend my internship through the spring semester, a decision that marks the purpose of this post. Aside from simply enjoying the workplace, there are valuable reasons to lengthen an internship, especially one with a PR agency.

Why Stay?

Students pose with Andy Valkanoff, owner of Triangle Dairy Queen, who launched their award-winning Blizzard contraption at the DQ Upside-Down or Free Competition.

Improve the quality of your work: Products you create are stronger and completed more quickly when you know what your clients need and what your supervisors expect. You learn these things with time, so the longer you stay with an internship, the faster you’ll be able to churn out work that satisfies those needs.

Deepen the nature of your work: Fully understanding your clients and their PR needs can take months. With that sound familiarity under your belt, you can deepen your involvement with them by taking on bigger projects and greater responsibilities. You may even play a larger hand at strategizing campaigns for clients, which furthers your experience as a PR pro.

Strengthen connections: It’s no secret that relationships also develop with time. Lengthening your internship experience allows you to cultivate client relationships that are built on communication, understanding and trust. You’ll also strengthen connections with your coworkers and supervisors, who serve as mentors on the job and key resources for career guidance.

The Clairemont team showcases its hard work recognized at the 2017 Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication.

Moreover, deciding to stay with an internship signals that you’re in tune with yourself. As you move through different work experiences, you discover which elements create your dream workplace. Especially in the PR world, no two agencies operate identically; each has its own culture, clients, specialties, employees … you get the picture. Embrace the variety, and recognize when an internship aces your checklist.

I’m thankful for Clairemont’s significant role in my blossoming PR career. It’s great to be back.

Written by Clairemont intern Elizabeth Comtois, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill.

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CLAIREMONT INTERNS: INTRODUCING MARGOT PIEN

CLAIREMONT INTERNS: INTRODUCING MARGOT PIEN

October 17, 2013January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, The Clairemont TeamClairemont Team, interns, PR, PR Agency, PR Internships, public relations internships, Raleigh PR Agency, Raleigh Public Relations Agency

Every semester, we always manage to find some AMAZING interns, and we love to tell you all about each of them. This semester, we have three up and coming PR pros – Kate Fedder (who continues interning at Clairemont after a successful summer internship), Sam Halle and Margot Pien (YES! There are two Clairemont “Margots” now!). Sam Halle (we’ll introduce Sam to you in our next blog post) recently sat down with her fellow fall intern, Margot Pien to learn a bit about her. Here’s what she learned:

Margot is a recent graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill (class of 2013) with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, with a concentration in advertising, and a minor in English.

While at Carolina, she worked with Chapel Hill’s WXYC 89.3 FM radio station. An already avid concertgoer, Margot’s time at WXYC helped her to realize she could work with music. She has since interned at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, Music Maker Relief Foundation and Merge Records, and she would love to ultimately work in the music industry or arts management. Currently, Margot shares her time between interning at Clairemont and interning at Redeye Distribution, a distributor for independent music of the southeast.

Want to know more about Margot? Here are few additional fun facts:

  • Hailing from Bethesda, MD, Margot now lives in Durham
  • While at UNC, she served as the managing editor for Blue & White Magazine and was an active member of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity
  • She loves to travel, and her favorite destination thus far is Greece
  • She has a knack for photography and frequents museums and art exhibits
  • She (like myself) is vegetarian and otter-lover
  • Considering her spirit animal is a sea otter, it’s fitting that she has quite the affinity for fountains. Her favorite fountain? Rome’s Fontana di Trevi
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How to Land an Internship

How to Land an Internship

October 10, 2013January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Free Advice, The Clairemont Teaminterns, interview advice, interview tips, NCPRSA, PR, PR Agency, PR Internships, PRSA, public relations internships1 Comment on How to Land an Internship

Today, the North Carolina Public Relations Society of America is hosting its annual Public Relations and Marketing Seminar at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill. Each year, communications professionals from throughout the state attend the conference to listen to industry experts discuss a variety of topics and share strategy and tactical experiences that are shaping how we communicate for our companies and clients. This year, Clairemont’s Dana Hughens will conduct a session instructing students on the do’s and don’ts of internship and job searches and interviews. In preparation for this session, we asked our interns – Sam Halle, Margot Pien and Kate Fedder – what is your best advice for landing an internship? Here’s what each had to say:

1012127_10151736860421974_329229897_nSam Halle:

If the folder on my computer littered with countless cover letter and resume files is any indication, the internship search can be a draining numbers game. And, while it’s true that you can’t control each outcome, you can control whether or not you show your potential and best self to a prospective employer. Here are a few simple ways I’ve learned to do this:

Check (and then double and triple check) for typos. This goes for both grammatical and spelling errors. Applying to positions at multiple companies? Avoid the copy-paste faux pas by making sure the company and contact names are correct too. For jobs and internships in the industry, it also doesn’t hurt to get reacquainted with your good friend the AP Stylebook.

Study up! Research both the company and specific position you are applying for. This will allow you to tailor the language of your cover letter or introductory email, as well as the experiences highlighted in your resume. Oftentimes, I’ll tweak the word choice throughout my resume to better fit each position. It should go without saying that research is an absolute must before an interview!

Thank you’s aren’t optional. When someone has taken the time to consider you as an applicant, it’s important to show that you’re grateful. This applies to email, phone and in-person correspondence. Importantly, you can use the thank you note following an interview to really drive home why you’re a great fit for the position.

Google yourself and make sure you’re happy with the results. Companies will search for you, so make sure your social media profile pictures are appropriate. If your account is public (and even if it isn’t), you should ask yourself if you’re comfortable with your future co-workers viewing your tweets, photos and posts. After all, your Internet presence is a reflection of who you are.

Use your resources. Check out what’s available at your university’s career center. Not a strong interviewer? Go to an interview workshop or participate in a mock interview. Struggling with your resume or cover letter? Most career advisors will review these and offer suggestions. Overwhelmed with the job/internship search? Most schools offer an online portal with hundreds of opportunities for students just like you. LinkedIn is also a helpful place to find connections.

Be positive and persistent. It’s hard work to find work, but in the end, it will all pay off. Remind yourself of that throughout the application, interview and follow-up process. Keep track of deadlines, try your hardest to avoid the procrastination bug and get excited for interviews. My pre-interview ritual? Review my resume and then blast Hakuna Matata.

margotclairemontMargot Pien:

I’ve had the opportunity to intern at a few wonderful companies, and have learned a lot from the application process. For every acceptance letter I have received, of course there just as many – if not more – internships or jobs that I have not gotten. That’s the nature of the game. Here are some useful tips that I’ve learned along the way:

Don’t use your cover letter to rehash everything from your resume. You can refer to it, of course, but use this chance to really catch your potential employer’s attention. Try to tell them something about yourself that they wouldn’t know from reading your resume.

Show your creativity/demonstrate your expertise. If you say that you are an experienced graphic designer, then design your cover letter and resume. I used InDesign to make a resume a few summers ago and ultimately landed the internship I wanted. My employer said that my resume design caught his eye.

Send follow up emails that don’t simply say “thank you for the interview.” Take this chance to re-iterate your interest in the company and explain why you’re the best candidate.

Tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for. If you want to intern at an advertising agency, they probably don’t care about your stint babysitting in high school. Make your resume relevant for each job opportunity.

If you direct your employer to any of your social media sites, make sure they’re professional. Don’t provide your Twitter handle if your tweets consist of you complaining about school and posting party pictures. Consider creating a separate professional account if needed.

kateKate Fedder:

In May of 2014, I will graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications specifically focusing in Public Relations. At this stage in my life, I constantly worry about whether I will find a job when graduation rolls around. This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern for Clairemont and was lucky enough to continue the internship into this fall. Here are just a few tips I’ve found helpful in landing past internships:

Use the career services at your school. You’d be surprised how many opportunities your university offers to help you find a job or internship. Take the chance to practice interviewing by doing a mock interview. The more practice you have, the more comfortable you will feel during the real deal. Don’t wait until the week before summer break to look for an internship or the week before graduation to talk about career opportunities. Go talk to an advisor and have them look over your resume. Also, most universities have databases where you can search for alumni in your desired profession who you can reach out to for advice.

Network. Everyone I’ve ever talked to says finding a job in today’s world comes down to who you know. Try to connect with as many people as you can and reach out to later. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, go ahead and make one – you’ll need it!

Do your research about the company beforehand. Be prepared and knowledgeable about the company so you can ask the interviewer at least two good questions. The interviewers are seeing if you are right for the job, but you should also ask questions to make sure the company is a good fit for you. The more you know about a company during an interview, the better off you are.

Be persistent and follow up. Send your resume and cover letter out to any company that interests you. If you don’t hear back within two weeks, send a follow-up email expressing how interested you are in the position.

Check and recheck emails you are sending to companies. Nothing looks worse and more unprofessional than having typos and bad grammar throughout an email. These emails as well as your resume and cover letter are the first impressions the company will have of you so make them flawless.

 

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What to Wear to a Job Interview

What to Wear to a Job Interview

August 23, 2013January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Fashion, Free Adviceentry-level PR job, entry-level PR position, interns, Interview Attire, Interview Outfit, PR Agency, PR Internships, PR jobs, Raleigh PR Agency, Raleigh Public Relations Agency

I’m a big believer in the mantra “dress for success.” And, although it’s not yet scientifically proven, I am pretty positive that you will always feel more confident and secure if you are dressed in a crisp, clean and appropriate outfit. This especially rings true for job and internship interviews.

As the internship coordinator at Clairemont, I’ve seen plenty of interview candidates – and often been one myself in the (somewhat) recent past. For an interviewer, few things are more distracting than an inappropriately dressed or sloppy candidate. For a job hunter, dressing the part for an interview can be just as stressful. Is this too dressy? Is this too casual? Is this too boring? As a college student seeking internships and jobs, I often asked myself these questions. From experience (on both sides of the interview table), this is what I have decided.

Sporting a suit should always be your first choice. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it should fit well without being too revealing. For women candidates, this can be a skirt or pant suit, or the alternative suiting dress, like this one from J.Crew. Suits are classic and classy and show you are serious about the job. For more inspiration, see our Interview Appropriate board on Pinterest.

J. Crew Suiting Dress
J. Crew Suiting Dress

If a suit feels too stiff for the occasion, opt for a tailored pencil skirt or pair of slacks, a blouse and a cardigan or blazer. For a creative job in an agency setting, take the opportunity to show your individuality with statement accessories or a fashionable blazer like this one from Nordstrom. We also love this simple pencil dress with subtle leather detailing from Asos.

Smythe Blazer from Nordstrom
Smythe Blazer from Nordstrom

In the end though, don’t ever minimalism the fact that this outfit is for a job interview. Being fashionable is great, but making a good first impression and landing your dream job is way better. Steer clear of anything too short, too tight or too low-cut. Always err on the side of conservative caution, and you’re sure to be dressed for success. (Here’s a hint: If you’re stuck for ideas on what to wear, check out this fabulous blog stock full of great office attire and where to buy each of the pieces!)

What are your tips for dressing for an interview?

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Clairemont Interns: Introducing Natalie Baker

Clairemont Interns: Introducing Natalie Baker

March 5, 2013January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, The Clairemont TeamPR Internships, public relations internships, Raleigh Public Relations Agency, Raleigh Public Relations Internships2 Comments on Clairemont Interns: Introducing Natalie Baker

Last but not least, meet Natalie Baker, Clairemont’s third member of the spring intern team!


Screen Shot 2013-03-05 at 9.14.34 AMA North Carolina native, Natalie was born and raised in the small town of Valdese – located in between Charlotte and Asheville. She loves sports, dogs, music and all things chocolate! After traveling Europe and studying abroad in Florence, Italy, this past summer, she considers traveling one of her favorite hobbies.

Natalie is a senior at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she is a public relations major in the journalism school. Her previous experience with a local PR firm made her fall in love with the industry and the agency environment. She hopes to use her agency background to build and diversify her writing skills while here at Clairemont.

Other interesting facts about Natalie?

  • She loves coffee!
  • Her favorite TV show is Revenge on ABC.
  • Her iPod contains a plethora of classic rock music.
  • The last book she read was My Cross to Bear by Gregg Allman.
  • Even though she bleeds Carolina blue, her 12-year-old Weimaraner is named Durham.
  • She loves the mountains.
  • Her weird quirk? Her friends tell her she has a lot of facial expressions.

After completing undergrad in the spring, Natalie hopes to land a job with a public relations or marketing firm in North Carolina – preferably in the Triangle area.

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