From one person to the next
PR experts: What words of advice would you give to recent graduates starting off in the field?
It starts with an invitation — a simple message by email or through LinkedIn. Committing yourself to hitting the send button and inquiring about a meeting can be nerve-wracking, and then showing up to an office or coffee shop might leave you with butterflies in your stomach. However, with all this said, there is no better feeling than leaving an informational interview with a new wave of inspiration and excitement for the future ahead.
Over the last eight months, I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to sit down and chat with so many experienced individuals to learn about their career paths and gain insight to what I can look forward to.
After officially completing my coursework for my postgraduate program this past week, I went through and took an in-depth look at some of the notes I had scrawled down throughout the process. Reflecting on these conversations, here are some messages I wanted to share, from one expert to the next, about how to make the most of that upcoming internship or first job opportunity.
— — —
Tara MacPherson - Humber’19
“Get to know and interact with as many different team members as you can, including people you may not work with everyday. Over time, you’ll gain greater confidence with raising your hand or bringing new ideas to the table and the dynamic will start to shift.”
— — —
Kyra Marskell — Humber ‘19
“Try to take the initiative to attend as many large team meetings as you can so you can gain a better understanding of what others are up to. If you want to get pulled in on a certain project or refine certain skills, you have nothing to lose by showing enthusiasm.”
— — —
Jess Leigh-Hoffeldt — Humber ‘16-‘17
“It’s okay to stumble or fall into things as you are learning — it’s all a part of the process. Try to go with the flow and become comfortable with putting on different thinking caps, and eventually you’ll find confidence having built yourself up with so many new skills.”
— — —
Christian Ferreira — Humber ‘17-‘18
“Begin by executing on the little things to the best of your ability to build trust with your teams. Once trust is established, if you ask for more responsibility or demonstrate an interest in a certain area, your colleagues will often look for ways to give you those opportunities. Find a mentor who’s specialized in an area of interest and figure out how you can bring value to them.”
— — —
Youjin Choi — Humber ‘19
“Consume as much media as you can in your daily reading so you can better understand the current news cycle and be able to let your team know what you come across. It’ll help you think about different strategies and new angles to approach.”
— — —
Ali Azzopardi — Humber ‘12-‘13
“Attitude is the key to a successful internship. As much as possible, be curious and engaged in your work, and in your interactions with colleagues or clients. Whether that’s asking questions, raising your hand to support a new team or conducting a bit of extra research on the side so that you can show that you really know your stuff — curiosity — mixed with positivity! — will really go a long way.”
— — —
Ben Murchison — Humber ‘19
“Attend team lunches or skill-building sessions within your organization where you can demonstrate your interest in speciality areas and gain manager support. From there, gather further insights on how you can continue to head in that direction. Your internship is a time to grow and make mistakes, so take any and all training opportunities as a chance to network internally and show you are eager and ready to learn.”
— — —
Alex Hammill — Humber ‘17-‘18
“Don’t be afraid to speak up if something interests you and ask to work in different areas. Showing flexibility and eagerness by asking others how you can help, will demonstrate you want to be there. Check-in when you can and actively search for those new opportunities.”
— — —
Victoria Beales — Humber ‘17
“Look to your leadership team for opportunities to grow and show your willingness to apply your skills anywhere. Finding time to conduct informational interviews and to get to know your colleagues is always a great way to soak things up like a sponge.”
— — —
Margot James — Humber ‘16-‘17
“You may get thrown into things you’ve never done before and experience work at a faster pace. Take the time to get your feet wet and learn how you can go the extra mile, and don’t be afraid to overcommunicate because details can help you find solutions.”
— — —
Alyssa Wadey — Humber ‘17-‘18
“Learning is a chance to step outside your comfort zone and take on a new adventure. Find that balance between personal and professional, don’t be hard on yourself when you receive feedback and look for lifelong mentors you can keep in close contact with.”
— — —
Jessica Grace Chong — Centennial ‘15
“If you come across something thought provoking or of interest to you, early exposure is always a greater way to foster critical thinking for later in your career. Attending events is a great way to candidly hear stories with life lessons and discover paths people take.”
— — —
