PR and Social Media Intern, Muckle Media
We ask AAI intern, Marianne Gallagher, about her experiences working for Highlands based PR firm Muckle Media.
What were you expecting when you started your internship?
I was almost free of expectations when I started the internship. Coming from a copywriting/journalist background, I wasn’t sure what to expect from P.R. So when I turned up to an office chock-full of phones, client calls, chatter and social media plans which needed to be drawn up, any expectations I had were dropped at the door.
What were your first few days like?
Being thrown into the mix was the best thing that could have happened. As there were only two other employees in the company, it was all hands on deck. The skills that I developed were invaluable – from the on-the-job tasks I was trained for to having to demonstrate initiative. As we’ve taken on more projects and more work, I’ve grown in versatility and adaptability – in ways that I hadn’t reckoned for.
What skills have you developed through this internship?
I’ve become more professional. To work in an industry like PR, a degree of flintiness and professionalism is key. My writing, digital tech and communications skills have been tested. Dealing with high-level clients in high-pressure situations has helped me familiarize myself with the demands of the professional workplace. Equally, telephone work and liaising with clients have given me experience in previously unknown territory.
Working for Muckle Media didn’t feel like a typical ‘internship’. Whilst there was on-the-job training, there was no cushioning from the demands of the workload. I felt like one of the team.
How has the internship affected you personally?
Moving to a town where I didn’t know a soul was a massive test – but equally, a massive learning curve. I’ve came out of it with new friends, new skills and a new, hard-won sense of self.
Marianne’s internship was part of Adopt an Intern’s Highlands and Islands Programme. This particular programme is joint funded by The European Social Fund and the Scottish Government.
