Wow! What an experience!
About to commence the final two days of my internship. What an experience I’ve had so far. Let me take you along my journey’s ending.
The last couple of weeks has been quite full on. Whether it’s been completing work for university, interning work, or my paid job, I’ve been under the pump. All this has been quite stressful, so I’ve made it a tad easier for myself.
My advice for when you are feeling overwhelmed is to be prepared, regardless of the work. A method of preparing is creating a to-do list, helping you get on top of tasks. Completing tasks before due dates also allows you to receive feedback on your work. Feedback enables you to improve and refine content—this allows you to process a final copy that requires no editing.
Critical tasks I’ve been assigned during the last couple of weeks:
At work, I’ve been handballed a few tasks. These include creating social media content for Amana Living Training Institute (ALTI) and writing a press release on the Young Mentors Program, a specialised program offered only through Amana Living.
The ALTI social media content is entirely different from what content was posted for the 60th anniversary Amana Living posts. Before starting to create content, I investigated the FB ALTI page, and there I found a small following of 885. Based on the that I was able to tailor the content to a specific audience.
Here’s what I created:
Info session posts – three info sessions occur every week at ALTI, Rivervale. These sessions delve into the courses on offer at our training institute.
I created three similar posts, all relevant to the info sessions, with the idea of switching through the three sequentially to vary the posts up. These posts, I suggested, should go out weekly.
General information about courses, with three posts again, two focusing on a specific course and the other applicable to all. These posts are projected to go out fortnightly.
When going into the training institute, on one of my intern days, I went in with the idea to interview a few different people associated with ALTI. I got a short video of an ALTI student (post fortnightly), an ALTI Clinical Trainer (post fortnightly), and the Business Development Manager at ALTI (post monthly).
After editing the videos through Movavi video editor, I finalised all three, providing a specific text relevant to each video. My work has created a handy template for recorded testimonials and experiences from ALTI students, trainers, and workers, in the future.
Lastly, I created a post detailing that studying at ALTI guarantees placement which is posted monthly. All the posts have a specific link to subsections in the ALTI webpage.
I’ve recently been writing a press release on the Young Mentors Program, a BeConnected initiative (eSafety commissioner). I’m still working on this press release, just finalising some parts.
This will also be posted as a story on Amana Living’s website page, so I have to make sure that each word is relevant and that the content is concise but effective.
Unfortunately, this concludes my blogs.
I’ve had such a valuable experience interning at Amana Living, through all the new skills I’ve learned, the tasks/projects I’ve been completing, I’ve learned far more than I initially anticipated.
The last couple months, I’ve been exposed to the real world and had an insight into the way the aged care sector operates. It’s been an eye opener for me, and I’m honoured to have experienced it.
Process of Creating a Social Media Schedule
As this is the essential duty I’ve been executing while interning at Amana Living, I thought I might discuss the details of how I formatted and developed the 60th-anniversary social media schedule for Amana Living.
When I initially was looking for an internship, a few factors influenced my decision to intern at Amana Living; firstly, I pursued a reputable company, and secondly, the roles/duties I’d perform had to entice me.
Unsurprisingly, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my Intern so far.
From developing social media posts, my interpersonal skills, experience in the professional teamwork environment, and creating excel spreadsheets, I’ve learned valuable knowledge that I’ll be able to use over time. I’ve learned a lot about Amana Living and the aged care field, and I’m very grateful to capture this knowledge.
Continuing from my previous blog, ‘Anxious of Leaving a Good First Impression,’ I created an Excel spreadsheet on my first day, which helped me further create the social media schedule.
When creating the schedule on the word document, I used the A3 poster as a guide (designed by Isabella in the Marketing department) detailing the historical events that occurred during the time of Anglican Homes and then more recent times when the name changed to Amana Living.
From the Excel Spreadsheet, I transferred the format onto a word document. I created a table with the following titles at the top of the document: Date of Release, Objective, Key Message, Target Audience & Stakeholders, Purpose, and Image/Link with the Post.
On the left of the table, I added rough dates, which have been adjusted over the two-month schedule period. Since I first drafted the schedule copy, I’ve added three unscheduled posts.
These were short 1-minute videos, where I cropped together several pictures of different 60th-anniversary parties at the retirement villages, nursing homes, and transition care.
Back to the schedule, Heather instructed me to look at significant dates in the calendar that have significance in the aged care sector.
I found Dementia Action Week, International Day of Older Persons, and National Smile Day. The intention of these significant events is to be celebratory rather than an informative post, to help vary the content for the two months.
After creating the schedule, I sent it off to the contractor to get feedback on where I could improve and refine the content.
Over my internship, I’ve had to update the document, refining and providing specific links/images for each post.
Developing this content was a valuable experience, and I’m grateful I got the chance to do such a high-level task while interning. It allowed me to build my social media skills, collaborate with work colleagues, develop SM-savvy content, and use creativity when designing posts.
Hope you enjoyed the read, stay tuned for my next post!!
Anxious of Leaving a Good First Impression
The first day.
I was nervous and exhilarated to say the least.
Understandable emotions to be feeling prior to starting interning in the professional work environment.
Anxious of creating the right first impression amongst my colleagues, I knew I had to prepare. So, I did.
Here’s some tips for the future Reflective Practice PR students… make sure you do some prior research into the company you’re going to be interning for. It firstly helps you get a better insight and knowledge in the industry, as well as the services the business provides. Not only does it benefit your understanding, but doing prior investigating will impress your supervisor, showing your eagerness to excel in the PR field.
Sorry got off track, back to the first day.
Morning of, I got into a smart casual attire. With my lunch prepared the night before, all I needed was a coffee to wake up and get into the day.
Arriving on the train, and a short walk to the office, I arrived on time ready to begin.
After meeting Heather, my supervisor, we went down to her favourite local coffee shop, where I was treated to a lovely latte. Whilst enjoying my coffee, Heather took me for a tour around the corporate office, introducing me to staff members along the way.
I met the Marketing team, HR team, IT team, and a few others. But, most importantly the PR and Comms team, the department I intern for.
When logging into my computer, three screens btw…. 😊 spoiled for choice. I noticed I already had emails in my outlook. One was requiring me to complete my first set task.
I filled envelops up with 60th anniversary Amana Living thank you cards, which were sent to the retirement villages and nursing homes.
Another tip… when interning, no matter where, when work is assigned to you, no matter how mundane the task may be, complete to the best of your ability. Don’t complain about it, it won’t get you anywhere, just strive on and get onto the next task.
After completing, I was briefed by Heather on my main role. I was assigned the role of creating posts for the 60th anniversary of Amana Living scheduled to post all throughout September and October.
This schedule that I had been assigned thrilled me, I was itching to get underway.
To get off on the right foot, I created an excel spread sheet. I started with rough dates, some archive photos provided to me, and some text with the post.
After doing this, I was acquainted with the CEO, Stephanie Buckland, whom I had a short meeting with, where we discussed the work that I’ll be completing for them.
Phew! What an incredible first day!
Now, being halfway through my intern, when looking back at my work ethic from when I started to current. On the first day I hardly did anything, it was more a day to help migrate me into the workplace.
What I learnt: Make sure you don’t put too much pressure on yourself on that first day, just take things slowly, allow yourself to adjust to the professional environment.
Lastly, have big smile on your face when being introduced to anyone, and just be yourself.
Thanks for reading the blog, hope you enjoyed it.
Stay tuned for the next!
#1: The Arduous Journey of Locking in the Right Internship
Wow, what a journey it has been to get to where I am now!
It all started earlier this year, I enrolled in the Reflective Practice unit in Semester 1, with the intention to find an internship in the first part of the year.
However, sadly I was unsuccessful. Now looking back on it I left my searching/applying way too late and wasn’t able to find an internship in time to participate in the unit. This was evidently a personal mistake I made, however I learnt a couple valuable lessons from this experience.
These were: it’s important to stay on top of set tasks and to persevere until you reach the desired target.
So, after not finding an internship, I decided to pull out of the unit to give myself a couple of months to reflect and reapply. When I resubmitted for the unit this semester, I had updated and refurbished my resume, and developed my LinkedIn profile. This preparation allowed me to enter the semester much more confident at securing an internship.
And so, I continued the new semester to find an internship position. I applied for several different companies, which were recommended on the Facebook Reflective Practice page, as well as others presented through Seek and indeed.com daily to see if there were any opportunities available.
Then after an email thread with Laura Dew at the Wonder Co., I was accepted to the position. Finally, I had secured an internship, at least I thought. Unfortunately, I had to turn it down due to the opportunity not warranting the minimum 20 days of intern experience required for the unit. This was a bummer, but I only gained persistence from this, as I was determined to find that right internship.
I persevered, and after applying for many other companies, I saw the opportunity at Amana Living advertised on the Facebook Curtin PR page. Immediately I was interested, this opportunity looked perfect. I was eager to assist Amana Living achieve the goals they require for their 60th anniversary.
After seeing this opportunity, I sent through an email to the named contact, Mitchell. I attached my resume and CV to the email and waited eagerly for a response. That same day I received a call, it was from Mitchell.
Mitchell hadn’t heard of the internship opportunity that we students were presented on the Facebook page. So, I decided to email Christina to ask her more information about the intern position, in response I was provided with Heather Paterson’s email, my supervisor, an employee of high regard, who works in the Amana Living’s PR and Comms Department as the Corporate Communications Manager. I immediately emailed Heather, hoping and praying to be successful in my pursuit.
After an email chain and multiple phone calls with serval different people working in different departments at Amana Living, on the 15th of August I was accepted to start interning in the PR/Comms Department as a Communications Intern.
Hooray! Ecstatic was just one word you could describe my emotions.
What a relief, what a journey it was to get here. I’m glad I went through it, as I’ve gained a valuable internship at a reputable company.
Another valuable lesson, and insight I gained from this experience, was that preparation is key, and it is essential in reaching your goal.
This ends my blog, hope you enjoyed the story and gained something from my experiences. See you in the next blog!