My Intern Diaries

Every time I tell someone about my internship experiences, they are always entertained, stare at me in shock or disbelief and end with, “Oh my goodness, you have got to be kidding me!”

For one, it’s probably because – what are the chances that three of the four experiences could be summed up with words like crazy, adventurous and the devil wears Prada? Well, those are the chances… and those are definitely my chances.

I describe my internship experiences as adventurous because through them I have travelled, met some interesting people, and have had my personal character and limits put to the test. Ironically enough and so cliché, these experiences were exactly like what you would see on TV or read about in books. They were full of drama, unbelievable, and in retro-spec, great stories to tell. But none the less excellent learning experiences that no school could ever teach you.

So…

Besides wanting to remember some of my most unforgettable (but NEVER bad) experiences at its entirety, so in 10 years I can look back, laugh and say, “I can’t believe I did that!”? I hope to share with those thinking about a Fashion PR internship or just an internship in general a few things I learnt in my intern days and some helpful tips so that they can make the most out of their experiences. For everyone else, enjoy!

Chapter I – How it all began…  

It was four years ago, in the beginning of my second last year of university, that I said to myself “I know what I want to do after graduation, I want a career in Fashion Public Relations!” 

I cannot even recall how that dawned on me and I assure you I did not have a clue what Public Relations was. But for starters, I was a little ahead of the game since university students typically had no clue what they wanted to do with their lives after graduation. But the joy that sprung over me re the epiphany I had about my future was short lived…  I couldn’t help but think to myself, “Okay, that’s great Melissa. Now what?” 

Thankfully for the Internet and Google, I perfected the art of researching and finding relevant job postings. After scouring millions of websites and becoming obsessive compulsive with Monster and Workopolis, I discovered  - Craigslist (before it was full of scams), Work In Culture, and Media Job Search Canada. These were the three websites that marked the beginning of my interning adventures.

So, with absolutely ZERO PR-related experience, I decided a good start would be to voluneer. After religiously visiting Craigslist, Work In Culture, and Media Job Search Canada every day, I finally discovered a job posting that was applicable and sparked my interest.

Posted on Work In Culture, was a listing for PR volunteers with a company called Brill Communications. They were looking for individuals to volunteer two to three days of their time during Toronto L’oreal Fashion Week to help out with guest list, the runway room, and the media lounge. Extremely excited, I wrote an email, submitted it to Brill and awaited anxiously for a response. 

Two days later they got back to me and granted me the opportunity to help out at what would be my very first Toronto L’oreal Fashion Week experience and on top of that; PR related. 

I was mainly helping out with organizing and seating media and guests in the runway room. I helped with checking people into the event and stuffed gift bags. I was even able to wander backstage and watch the fashion shows (sometimes even front row). The only cost for helping out at this event was parking which amounted to $10 a day and Brill Communications provided all volunteers with snacks and dinner. 

Volunteering at this event introduced me to alot of other individuals sharing similar interests as myself as well as allowed me to learn a few faces and the names of some of the people in the Toronto fashion industry. As the first volunteering experience, I had alot of fun! I saw a glimpse of what i now know to be only a small part of what I thought Fashion PR is, ended up volunteering again for the next season and then applied to my very first internship.

 

Writing in progress, please check back soon.