The word “intern” probably conjures up a sad, almost comical image in most people’s minds. The intern is stereotypically the frenzied office assistant, a poor college student desperate for work experience who schedules appointments and makes coffee runs for an iron-fisted and tyrannical boss, à la Anne Hathaway’s character in “The Devil Wears Prada.” Needless to say, my intern experience at CCSE was far from that.
For the last seven months, I’ve been CCSE’s communications intern. All those Facebook posts and tweets you saw, emails you received, blogs you read – yep, that was me. Not only did I learn about Steelhead trout and the world of environmental nonprofits during my internship, but I also gained valuable experience and connections that will help boost my resume and portfolio.
Working with our director, Chris Lim, definitely made my job an enjoyable and educational experience. We would meet a few times a week to brainstorm ideas for social media strategy, blog posts, and email content, and he was always open and receptive to my thoughts. I was also granted a lot of creative freedom in my writing and graphic designs; for the most part, whatever I came up with was a go, save for a few edits Chris would add. The job’s flexibility gave me lots of room to grow and try new things.
Speaking of which, I did try lots of new things – I had never managed a professional Facebook or Twitter account before, and learning social media strategizing was a huge bonus, seeing as most of the jobs I’m applying to now are looking for someone with that experience. I also gained experience in writing appeals for donations, which is a really important skill for anyone who’s thinking of working for a nonprofit. Throughout all this, Chris, Steph, Aleks, Shane and the rest of the staff were extremely helpful and supportive.
While I’m sad to leave CCSE, I’m excited to see what the next communications intern will do with this position. Like I said, there’s a lot of creative freedom, and I suggest taking full advantage of that! Best of luck to you, whoever you are.
Interested in applying to be our next Communications Intern? Click here for more info.
