As a growing communications consultancy working with big brands, advising them in a crisis and handling their corporate communications, we were looking for an intern with an appetite for hands on experience in fast changing communications situations.
We felt certain the right person would enhance our small team, by sharing their experience of topical issues such as diversity and environmental campaigns and how these are discussed in the social space. In exchange, we were offering the opportunity to contribute their views and get involved in a lively and exciting sector of communications.
We provide crisis comms, media training and corporate comms support, for clients when they are about to hit the front pages or find themselves trending for all the wrong reasons. We felt our internship would suit someone alive to news, current affairs and cultural trends, with experience following the press, social media and a willingness to support account administration as well as meeting our clients.
This was our first internship and after false starts with alternative schemes, the Taylor Bennett Foundation’s Summer Stars programme made the right match. The candidates we met all had the skills and experience we needed and the interview and selection process was personal and easy to navigate thanks to the programme team.
Our successful candidate has been a hugely positive addition from day one and as a result the internship was extended from three months to six! The Bootcamp experience was the ideal warm-up before joining us two days per week. It meant they had crisis comms insight on Day One as well as solid comprehension of the comms fundamentals. They were soon contributing to client meetings, preparing research and analysis, and bringing a wider perspective on topical issues to help us provide smart insight to clients.
Our intern is largely remote, with some face-to-face team meetings. This suits the intern, as they complete a final year at university, and works equally well for the rest of the team who are also remote working. The Taylor Bennett Foundation is ready with useful advice on supporting interns through the initial arrival and then making and maintaining regular check-ins, to keep everyone up to date on workload and personal development.
We would highly recommend the Summer Stars programme. Other internship programmes tend to recruit into a variety of sectors. The Taylor Bennett Foundation’s PR and communications focus ensured an introduction to those who want to work in PR and comms specifically, so the candidates have the appetite and enthusiasm needed to make the internship a success.
Jess Mangold,
Client Services Director,
Mangold Consultancy