Corporate Communications Executive Intern Review

Overall I really enjoyed my placement at Pernod Ricard UK. I got on really well with my manager and the rest of my team which meant that I was never afraid to ask questions or ask for help. I also really enjoyed the work that I was doing which has led to my decision to develop a career in PR which was one key aspect of my role. I learnt at least one new thing a day in this role and it has constantly kept me on my toes. I have developed some really valuable skills for the future and it has helped me to decide what route to take when I leave university.

Throughout my placement I felt incredibly valued by my manager, team and all my other colleagues. I felt like my team trusted and valued my opinions which made me feel like their equal and never 'just the intern'. I think my good relationship with my manager was one of the key factors in my enjoyment of this role.

Working in a communications role, my work is always seen by other people. For example, when I write a news story for the Intranet the whole business can see it, and when I post on social media it can be seen by the public. This meant that my manager normally checked my work before it went live, but this made me feel more comfortable in most situations, and as I have progressed throughout the year she has given me less and less things to change. My manager and I had regular catch ups about my work which gave me the opportunity to flag if I was feeling overwhelmed by my workload or unsure about something I was working on.

I always had work to be getting on with and never once found myself with nothing to do. There are particularly busy points in the year, for instance if we had a big event coming up, where I would have a lot to do. However, if there was no big event coming up then my manager would ask me to do more general tasks such as auditing the website or making comms plans for the future according to the strategy and recent learnings.

I was given a good amount of responsibility during my placement and was always aware that I could ask for more ownership on certain projects if I wanted the experience.

The main skills that I could transfer to my degree studies from this role is writing skills. Throughout this role I have written comms for several different channels which has allowed me to develop my tone and assess what content different audiences will be looking for. I have also developed my confidence which is an important skill that will carry me through the rest of my degree and career.

The general atmosphere in the office was positive. Most of my colleagues were very approachable and willing to help which made me feel more comfortable. We also had regular desk drops, fun afternoon events and other activations in the office for our brands, which was a real perk to the job and was a key contributing factor to the positive atmosphere in the office.

The placements at PRUK are very well run, and it is clear that they have had good experience at running the programme. We had a key point of contact throughout our time at the company which was very useful.

There were several training opportunities available throughout the year. Permanent employees were given priority for the training sometimes, but this is understandable. We were also involved in some useful team building exercises which were also a way to bond with colleagues and learn more about ourselves.

I definitely want to work in PR or External Comms after university, which means that I don't think there would be a fitting role for me in the team at PRUK as our team is so small.

We have been out quite a few times as interns and we all get on really well.

I have worked and lived in Chiswick (London) this year, which has meant that all costs have been high. I have been lucky enough to be able to walk to work which has meant that I haven't had any transport costs, but rent and socialising costs have been above average. However, it is a very desirable place to live and work so I wouldn't have changed it even though the cost is high.

There are loads of lovely restaurants and pubs in Chiswick, but not many bars and clubs. For socialising with work colleagues, there are some great places to go to closeby.

There were some lunch time sports clubs that were available but I didn't personally take part.