By Esther Clayton (CAS’20)
CCD: Tell us about your experience. What were your responsibilities?
I began working at MML PR in August, and alternated with another internship during my time in Los Angeles. MML is a boutique beauty and lifestyle PR agency, with a heavy emphasis on boutique. I was working with only three other women in my office, and had direct access to the founder of the company.
With me, there were two other interns who worked in the office, which gave me the opportunity to bounce opinions off of my peers. I was able to get experience using industry research tools like Cision and TrendKite, and I spent a fair amount of time in the showroom as well, both creating influencer packages and working with the inventory. I definitely got a well rounded experience from MML.
CCD: How did you get the opportunity? What resources at BU or elsewhere did you use?
I heard about the opportunity through the Boston University Los Angeles team, and because of the compelling beauty angle, I applied to the position. Throughout the entire process, the Boston University Los Angeles team was quite helpful in giving numerous options for internships, offering interview prep, and just overall support through the process. This was all in conjunction with the students getting ready to make our move to Los Angeles, so I was really impressed that the team was able to juggle over 40 students moving into a city and finding them all multiple internships. I was definitely grateful to the Boston University Los Angeles team for their consistent support and assistance.
CCD: What was the best thing about the experience? What was the worst?
The best thing about my time with MML was the way that it immersed me into the city of Los Angeles and the world of public relations. I entered into the position without much experience, but I was able to gain so many hard skills, as well as a background in the field that I hope to go into post-graduation.
I joined the team in planning two influencer trips, and I was able to be on site for the second to witness it in full action. This internship took me to Malibu, to Santa Monica, to the NYX Laboratories in downtown Los Angeles, and more.
The worst part of my experience was by far my commute, which was over an hour in Los Angeles traffic.
CCD: What was the most memorable moment of your experience?
The most memorable moment of my experience was getting to work closely with Merritt, the founder and my supervisor. At almost all of the other internships that I have had, I was at the complete bottom of the food chain, and my input and ideas never reached the top. This time, it was as if someone made level one of a video game the boss level. I was intimidated, but my skillset grew exponentially just by being exposed to the way that Merritt worked day in and day out, and throughout my semester, I found myself emulating her actions and way of approach to the job. If possible, I definitely recommend working at a boutique agency for this reason.
CCD: What advice would you give to another student about making the most of an internship, job, or other career-related experience?
My advice would hands down be to speak up. Too often, I have allowed nerves to get in the way of asking a question that I had or offering a thought or idea. I never want to limit myself this way again, and I believe that no one entering an internship should. No matter your background, your experience level, or even your comfort level in the environment, you always need to remember that the point of this internship is for the INTERN, not the company. Maximize your time there and the opportunity. Speak up.
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