My internship shed light on all the ins and outs of working at a PR agency

An insight into what four weeks at an award-winning Edinburgh PR agency has taught me 

By Dylan Inglis

AS MY TIME at Holyrood PR comes to an end, it’s nice to reflect on what the experience has taught me.

Having learned about the industry at university, I came in expecting to understand a basic level of public relations.

In reality, there’s nothing better than spending time actually working in the industry – there’s so many practicalities virtual seminars and lectures just can’t teach you.

Right from the first week, I was drafting press releases and contacting clients.

There was a structure and set way to do everything, I really can’t stress how valuable my experience has been in seeing how a PR agency functions.

The fast paced nature of the work may seem a bit daunting at first, but the team are always there for support, and are more than happy to brief you on tasks or point you in the right direction if you need it.

This contributes massively to the overall welcoming environment of the workplace, with the daily 10am group calls being a great opportunity to get to know everyone.

In particular, one of the skills I felt I really developed over the time was my ability to interview. Most people my age find it a bit nerve-wracking to pick up the phone and chat to someone they’ve never met before, and at times I can be a bit guilty of that myself – which was why interviewing some happy buyers for Dundas Estates was such a great personal confidence-booster.

Cameron talked to the first interviewee with me on the call, enabling me to get a good grasp of what kind of questions to ask and how to go about the interviews.  This made sure I was confident in the next five calls I made myself – everyone I spoke to was lovely, which left me feeling much better about my ability to interview.

Another aspect I was really impressed with was the flexibility from the team. Due to a slight overlap between my semester and my internship, there were times where I had Uni work to do or presentations to make – but the team were totally understanding, which was really helpful during what was a stressful time of the year.

I’d thoroughly recommend anyone who’s interested in a career in PR to get involved and contact the Holyrood PR team.

I can’t speak for every intern but my personal perception of a role in PR has changed dramatically, and I now feel much more confident about my skill set than I did before.

The four-weeks flies by, and before you even know it you’re writing your final week blog and saying goodbye to the team.

Interested in an internship at an award-winning PR agency?

Fill out this form below, or send your CV to recruitment@holyroodpr.co.uk