Unemployed College Graduate: My PR Internship Experience

Unemployment is frightening, especially for a graduate who is now in debt and independent.

Recently, I graduated from Sam Houston State University, and at the time, I thought I had it all figured out. I had a home waiting for me in a new city. A paid internship with a public relations agency that has clients within the lifestyle, beauty, consumer, and non-profit space.

According to CNBC, only 50% of college students are employed six months after graduation. In my mind, I thought I was the luckiest student of them all. I acquired a paid internship a month before graduation with a Latina-owned agency, which promised me creative freedom and personal growth, and the opportunity to work remotely.

The position was a WFH (work from home) position, which was great because I was still in college when I first started. The first week ran smoothly. I focused on the agency’s new podcast segment. I created the podcast’s intro, outro, sound effects, equipment list and started on the company's new social media strategy.

After the first week of my internship, I moved from Huntsville to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I was finally closer to my job and able to work in person. Although, the Monday after the move, I felt a shift. Work became more overwhelming, and the workload increased. To keep up, I had to work on projects after work (I was scheduled approximately 15 hours a week). I thought that is how things are in the PR industry, but after I resigned three weeks later, I realized that the industry is not as intense as my ex-boss made it seem.

By the end of the third week, during our virtual meeting, my ex-boss told me that she won’t assign me any more projects because the work I am turning in is not what she asked for, and to take the day to think about what I want to do next.

I already knew my ex-boss wanted me to quit a week before this meeting. My ex-boss hadn’t approved most of my work and would lose patience when asked questions.

The position was not meant for me, and I believe that it’s not meant for anyone. Although my job was to create content and experiment with new trends, my ex-boss would take over and do the work herself.

I won’t go further into detail, but the way we parted ways was bitter-sweet. Not only was my creative work insulted, but she made me doubt myself.

Here is what I learned from this experience:

1. Don’t Work for Free

Know your worth! You might not have experience, but you have knowledge and are willing to put in the time to support the company. As stated on Insider, “Working for free is not the “opportunity” we often think it is. Opportunity doesn’t pay the bills. Exposure won’t put food on the table. And working for free sets a bad precedent that’s hard to break later.”

2. Know Your Limit

Don’t work past your scheduled time. Your employer should give you enough hours to complete your tasks. If you are unable to accomplish most tasks, ask for help. If no one answers your questions or helps you overcome challenges, they don’t have your best interest at heart.

3. Your Manager Isn’t Interested in Your Career Growth

The people that hire you should be invested in your growth. Your manager is supposed to be encouraging, patient and will want to see you thrive in your career. They want the best people to work for their company and are willing to invest in you if they see the potential.

4. Save Your Work!

If you are working for a creative company, you will likely work on the company’s Adobe/Canva, social media accounts, and devices. Save your designs, calendars, and content on a flash drive as part of your portfolio to show future employers.

5. Don’t Allow Anyone to Belittle You or Your Work

If you feel shunned, disrespected, or insulted, you should either stand up for yourself or quit. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have experience, or if you are at the “bottom of the pyramid.” You are human and new to the industry. There is a job opportunity out there for you!