Tell me about a challenge you had to overcome during your time.

My college major was journalism, so public relations and advertising were new experiences for me. I immediately had to learn new terminology. I had no idea what the terms “paid, “owned,” “earned” or “shared media” meant, but I found out quickly. I needed to understand new service areas and what worked best with different social media accounts. It had been a few years since I’d written a press release in school, so I had to dust off those skills. Finally, this was my first full-time job, and I had to learn how to balance working and living on my own in a new city.

I am thankful that for every challenge, I had a great team at Wray Ward to support my learning and growth. Everyone was willing to answer my questions, breaking things down in a way that I could easily understand concepts that were new to me. The level of expertise and information that we had at our disposal going into projects made trying new things more enjoyable.

What kind of work were you doing during your internship? Did you get to jump in on actual client projects?

I got to work up close and personal with our clients and had the chance to do some real hands-on work. I helped develop a communications plan for We Rock Charlotte and what content they would create for each channel. I was also helping them develop a launch plan, complete with a media list, recommendations, sample pitches and emails for them to use.

I worked with other clients to develop content for their social media calendars and wrote a ton of press releases for both our clients and Wray Ward. It seemed as if there was always some meaningful project happening that I could work on.

How did you make the transition from intern to working full time as a PR/content coordinator at Wray Ward?

I think my interest in the work, my eagerness to learn and ask questions, and simply coming in each day and doing the job during my internship helped me realize that not only could I do this but also I actually enjoyed it.

The work I did during my internship was a launchpad into my current role. I don’t think it would have mattered where I applied — my experience at Wray Ward would’ve helped me land a solid role anywhere in the industry. I’m glad I ended up here though.

How did your time during FORM prepare you for your current role?

A full-time internship like FORM helps you see what the real world is like. I learned about managing my time more efficiently and how powerful collaboration with other teams across our agency truly is. Actually having the chance to work with clients was incredibly helpful in developing the soft skills necessary for a role like this. It helped me become a much better communicator and hone my presentation skills.

During my internship, my supervisor always told me to ask questions and be present. It sounds simple and cliche, but you truly don’t know something until you ask. I love that Wray Ward’s culture encourages a spirit of curiosity and learning.

Are you interested in paving your own path with an internship at Wray Ward? Applications for our 2023 FORM class open on November 28. Learn more and be sure to apply before January 20, 2023.