Entering a new work environment while the world is navigating a new normal definitely requires fearlessness. A few weeks in, and I’m settling in well to my first public relations agency internship.
My name is Katie Lindquist, and I am a 2019 graduate from Colorado State University. During my senior year of undergrad, I did in-house public relations and event planning for my university’s career center. Seeing my work positively impact other students solidified my love for communications. After graduating, I began exploring the exciting (and, at times, confusing) world of PR. I joined the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and became the Newsletter Chair on the Executive Committee for the New Pros Chapter. This work inspired me to get more involved in PRSA’s networking and learning opportunities. Through this, I found The Fearey Group and was quickly captivated by their PR philosophy that’s rooted in fearlessness — a mentality that is crucial now more than ever.
If there’s anything the last few months have taught me, it’s that living in the stress of a pandemic requires us to be adaptable and courageous. We need to continue living our lives and chasing our goals. When I got the email from Fearey telling me I was selected to be a Production Assistant, my jaw dropped. I was so excited for this next step toward my career goals.
As Fearey’s first completely remote Production Assistant, I knew there would be some challenges for us all to overcome. Getting acquainted with a brand-new work environment and company culture is always an adjustment, but I had no idea what to expect from making this adjustment while being over 1,000 miles away!
I was nervous my internship would be spent feeling disconnected and lost, but my first few weeks at Fearey have shown me this won’t be the case. On Monday morning, I woke up in my Colorado apartment and logged on (after triple checking the time zone difference to make sure I wasn’t late) for my first day at a Seattle PR agency. As I was logging on, my doorbell rang. Confused, I opened my front door to find a beautiful pot of flowers with a note that said, “Welcome to Fearey!” My first two days were filled with similar feelings of warmth as people went out of their way to introduce themselves to me. Everyone made time in their busy schedules to have a phone call or video chat with me to welcome and assure me that I can come to them with any questions. Not many interns can say they had an experience like this during their first week!
Fearey has already given me such a welcoming and hands-on experience since I started. I can’t wait to expand my PR skill set and continue growing with this company throughout the next few months!