The Last Week: an event and a job offer.

My name is Lauren and I have been an intern at Devahasdin for the past ten weeks. A lot of people have written about how bittersweet their final days were - allow me to echo that opinion. This is a rather long blog piece - after I started to write I realised how much I had to say. 

On Wednesday I helped co-ordinate an event called the Bethanie Medallion. The awards celebrated outstanding contributions to aged care - be it in a school, volunteer, media or professional capacity. With precious little event management experience history, the attention one must pay to tiny details astounded me. It was mandatory that the green of the PowerPoint slides, table settings, menu and invites matched the tone in the Bethanie logo. 

The certificates needed to be framed with exact specifications; the keynote speaker had to speak between minutes X and Y as he had pressing afternoon commitments; the MC had some flowers which needed to be chilled in the commercial kitchen; us PR professional had to be attired in all black corporate wear with red accessories; the list goes on. 

The event begun at 12 midday, but we were all at the UWA Clubroom from 9am. These extra hours were spent triple-checking the menu, liaising with serving staff, running through the presentation schedule, practicing handling prizes and the certificates and on the phone with the client. 

Whilst we were all the vision of composure on Wednesday, I knew that we were all overthinking the same things. 

"The presentation speaker isn't here yet - he's meant to pass over an award in seven minutes. Where can he be?"

"Keynote speaker has finished, food should be served - where is the food?"

"The nominee for the volunteer category is using a walking stick... I wonder if I need to help her to the stage?" 

Of course, it was a Devahasdin run event. So it was faultless. 

On Friday, I finished up my last day at the consultancy and was offered a full-time role. I am sure that many people are shaking their heads at the screen whilst I type this, but I turned down the position. 

I have decided to move to Melbourne next year to pursue my career in the land of coffee and culture. After an incredibly long pro-con list, I decided I am both young enough and ambitious enough to try my luck in the competitive Melbourne Public Relations field. 

The girls at Devahasdin respected my honesty and wrote me some glowing reviews. They offered me job advice and to look over my resume. The echoed what my research had told me already - that there were ample opportunities over East and I could build a career with more diversity than if I were based in Perth

As I handed them all a card, with a note thanking them and a block of chocolate, Maeve smiled at me. 

"This," she said, giving me a hug, "is what we call a critical non-essential. You have nothing to worry about."

As I write this I am actually in Melbourne - I have a post-graduate interview on Tuesday and have decided to ambitiously pursue what I want from life. 

All the best to everyone - I hope your internship experience has taught you as much as mine has. 

Lauren Roberts

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