Curated Growth: Advice for Future Curator Interns
Time flies. Only three months ago I came to Curator as a college ingénue, not knowing where I was going or what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. In the short time I have been here, I have grown more than I thought possible. In only a few days I will be graduating from Central Washington University with my degree in PR. I should be nervous; after all it is a big life change. But all I am feeling is the calm certainty that I will be able to handle whatever comes down my career path, and owe that outlook to my experiences here at Curator.
As I am on my way out, I can’t help but think about the next intern who will take my place. No doubt they will be excited and more than a little overwhelmed at the entire experience. So this is for you future Curators, the top three tips that I hope will make your life a little easier on the road ahead.
Be Detailed– In the PR world, not detail is too small to be ignored. If you make a mistake, someone out there will catch it. So, have a solid review process and be a perfectionist in all aspects of your work. Don’t let that bog you down though. If you can become detailed oriented and have a quick project turn around, there will be very little you can’t do.
Be Curious – It can be hard to ask questions as an intern. You don’t want to waste people’s time by asking something silly. I say, ask away. If there was one thing I could do over in my time here, it would be to ask more questions of the wonderful people who make up Curator. They have so much knowledge and are more than willing to share it with you. They are all kind and supportive people, and very few bite, so don’t be intimidated.
Find Independence – This is your internship, so own it. Be proactive and reach out to team members on your own, don’t be afraid to ask to participate in something you find interesting. The office is more than willing to include you on projects, but they are not psychics (well maybe Matthew is) so you need to be the one who expresses interest. Just make sure you are prioritizing projects as you collect more, it can be easy to lose track of deadlines if you don’t keep on top of them.
You are going to have an amazing time with these people. When you leave here you will emerge from your internship with spectacular experiences and great connections. I know I did.
As I leave, I just want to thank everyone in the office for a wonderful experience. I cannot thank you enough for the opportunity, and no matter where I end up in the future, Curator will always hold special significance to me.
You guys rock!
- Liz Glavish