Intern Diary: Ashlee
It is hard to believe my summer as a Content Intern at JMG has already come to an end! Going into this internship, I knew I wanted an experience where I could take what I have learned as a PR student and apply it in a real agency setting, especially when it came to social media and content creation. This summer gave me the opportunity to do exactly that. From researching trends and brainstorming ideas to creating social content, writing copy and working on client accounts, I was able to see what goes into building a brand’s presence online and learn what it actually looks like to take an idea from brainstorming to something an audience sees.
One of the most valuable parts of my internship was having actual access to JMG’s social media channels and being trusted to create content for them. Having that responsibility was so exciting and gave me a level of hands-on experience I had never had before. I loved being able to look at what was happening in pop culture or trending online and think about how we could turn it into something relevant to JMG. Whether it was developing a PR Breakdown or joining a Sip the Tea meeting, I was always given the creative freedom to bring my own ideas to the table and felt like my perspective was genuinely valued. Seeing something I had researched, pitched and designed actually go live on JMG’s page was one of the most rewarding parts of the summer.
That creative freedom also taught me that good social media content is about so much more than making something look good or jumping on a trend. There is strategy behind every decision. I learned to ask why an audience would care, how an idea connects back to the brand and what makes a piece of content worth stopping for. I also learned how much stronger an idea can become through collaboration and feedback. Some of my favorite projects started as one idea and became something completely different after talking them through!
I am especially grateful to Alexandra and Arcely for everything they did for me this summer. They gave me the freedom to be creative while always being there to offer feedback, answer questions and help make my ideas stronger. They trusted me with real responsibilities and made me feel like the work I was creating actually mattered to the team and I am incredibly thankful for the time they took to teach me and help me grow throughout the internship.
I am leaving JMG with more confidence in my creativity, a stronger understanding of the strategy behind great content and an even greater excitement for a future career in PR. I am so grateful to JMG for trusting me, challenging me and giving me the opportunity to be genuinely creative this summer. I could not have asked for a better experience or a better team to learn from!
