Intern Diary: Sydney

Going into this internship, I was excited to start building my career in New York, especially since this was my first New York-based internship. Having had both remote and in-person internships before, I was interested to see how this experience would compare and what it would add to my skill set.

From the beginning, I was given the opportunity to take on real responsibilities as a Design + Editing Intern. I worked closely on creating and editing short-form video content, which was completely new to me at the start.

Over the course of the internship, I became much more confident in my ability to produce polished, engaging reels and adapt content for different platforms. Being trusted with that kind of creative work made the experience feel both challenging and rewarding.

One of the most valuable parts of this internship was learning how to work within a brand’s voice. I contributed to multiple accounts, including the agency’s Instagram, podcast content, and lifestyle platforms, all of which required different tones and styles. Learning how to shift between those while maintaining consistency gave me a much stronger understanding of branding and content strategy.

Even in a remote setting, I developed strong communication skills and learned how to collaborate effectively with a team. Using Slack as a primary communication tool helped me stay connected, share ideas, and keep up with day-to-day tasks, while working with Riverside gave me hands-on experience editing recorded podcast content.

A particularly interesting part of my role was editing podcast episodes. While the work was very detail-oriented, it gave me the opportunity to engage closely with conversations around public relations, branding, and entrepreneurship. I was surprised by how much I was absorbing without even realizing it at the time. Listening so closely to these discussions helped me better understand how PR operates in real-world contexts, from brand authenticity to large-scale events and media strategy.

Beyond the technical skills, this experience helped me better understand how I work best and what environments allow me to be most productive. It also gave me insight into the pace and expectations of working in a professional setting, which I know will be valuable as I move forward in my career.

Overall, my time at JMG Public Relations allowed me to grow creatively and professionally. I’m grateful for the experience and excited to carry what I’ve learned into my next role following graduation.