Always Leave them Wanting More

Back to where it all began

It's that time of the year again when exams approach and everyone's stressed. And it's also the time when semester is ending; along with my internship. Oh, what an experience that was at Momentum Forum Events. Cannot believe it has been over 20 weeks already! Since the internship experience is coming to an end, I thought I'd reflect on what was and what there is to look forward to in the future (I'll also pepper some useful articles here and there for you to read).

Lanyards Galore 
In preparation for the Perth Pet Expo there have been a lot of arts and crafts going on in the office, the floor turning into a litter bug for double-sided sticky tape scraps and cardboard signs. The table was hidden under a blanket of lanyards, loose pieces of paper and smelly plastic sleeves. It was great to be more hands-on involved. I didn’t use my laptop once! It will be a great experience I'm sure to be a volunteer at the Expo, and to be surrounded by all sorts of animals. 

And this was only one out of three piles!

The (Intern)ship has Sailed
As the Expo nears (it’s this weekend!) so, too, does the end of the internship. It has been an interesting experience doing the placement at Momentum; an events management company that is so different from the standard event planners you all might be familiar with. Instead of running events for clients, they continue to organise their own signature events for charitable causes and always look to raise awareness. Thinking about the report that I’m writing now on Momentum and how the role of PR is defined within it, I also start to retrospectively wonder about the things I learned. Let me know what you did too, and what you did differently.

There are many ways to be a good intern, as there are also many ways to stand out as an intern. Before undertaking mine I read some articles about what others out there say is the key to doing well at your internship, and whether I had similar ideas. This article makes many credible points, but one of them stood out to me; ‘keeping tabs on your accomplishments’. Analysing your own performance is important as much as analysing the corporate environment you’re in. That’s why through writing these blogs, we are all able to reflect on our own performance and gain insights into how we see ourselves as interns, as well as how our colleagues see us. 

This is something important to remember when it's time to give presentations! Many people don't like them, and then there are those that go on TED talks and let us in on the art of great communications. We are told many tips to relax and remember to stick to the points. But for me, it all comes back to good preparation to calm the nerves. Take the time to organise your thoughts, what you want to say, why it is relevant, and determine the best flow. If you have other tips, share them below! 

I remember a lot of late days and tired but happy eyes. At the end of a productive day I would think about what I've learned that day, and what I could improve on next time. Yet after a while of this routine, along with more assignments and the usual stress of a uni student, I began to feel the burn. Burnout is something you think you don't have time for, yet this can be a real eye-opener: it forces you to prioritise. This exhausting insight can help challenge the way we think about our habits and what we consider to be a 'busy' versus 'productive' use of our time.  

Connecting the Dots

The world of PR was elusive at first; so general and broad - oh, the roads you could travel. The internship gave me valuable experience to navigate these paths and provided insight into which road I'd like to travel some day. It enabled me to be mentored by a seasoned professional and get to be part of a great team. But most of all it exposed me to 'the real world' and connect the dots between what I've learnt at uni, and the difference between applying that theory and at many times realising that theories can only get you so far before you have to get creative. 

As the time draws to a close of being an intern at Momentum, there is one key thing I want to bring up. There have been so many cases in which interns don’t treat their placement like a ‘real’ job. It’s disappointing to find this reality, because internships give you the opportunity to gain a foothold to start your career. First impressions count, but your ongoing attitude is what employers remember. And if your attitude is to look at a placement as a short-term activity without viewing the long-term possibilities holistically, then it’s time to start connecting those dots.

 

That's the interesting part about going out there and finding internships that allow you the opportunity to grow your skill set and take on new challenges. I hope you all had a wonderful time at your internships, for those who are finishing up at the end of semester too, and are looking forward to the next chapter in your PR careers! 

Wishing you all the best, 

Ewelina 

Looking through Rose-coloured Glasses

As I'm writing this, it is 1:38am on Sunday, and I just came home to hear the neighbours cranking up some loud music *lovely* Also, as I'm writing this, my feet ache once again from an exciting and crazy night spent at another signature Momentum Forum Events function: the Brian Gardner Pink Ribbon Ball. 

Behind the scenes

T'was a Pink Night
Held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, the massive ballroom was lit up in pink. Before the guests were to arrive at 6:30pm, setting up tables with name cards, raffle tickets and envelopes, auction catalogues, and corporate signage was the first task our group of interns. It was great to see you all there again (you know who you are!).

From the get-go I had an inkling that the night would have it's stressful moments; as is expected from helping to run an event. The corporate signage list wasn't set out according to a previous version, and the guest list pinned to boards by the entrance weren't printed well; raffle tickets had to be counted and re-counted, and laid out on all forty-six tables, and so, too, did the auction catalogues; all neatly rearranged to accommodate everything else crowding the table. There's a lot more paperwork at an event than you'd think.

Pink Ribbon Ball 2016

As the guests arrived in the foyer, enjoying their bubbly pre-drinks and came over to the table where raffle entries and door prize sign-ups were happening, the excitement started to build together with the decibels of conversations. The rainy weather withdrew into the night, and soon everyone was filling the ballroom, anticipating the night ahead.

The Pink Ribbon Ball is an annual signature event, since Barbara founded MFE in 2002, and its support for breast cancer awareness is amazing. It's sad to realise that this illness is something that everyone in that room had a connection to; either because they experienced it, they guided someone else going through the rigorous treatment, or because you want to support others discovering the painful journey. Behind the pink lights, the sequinned dresses and the grand ballroom, we are real people gathering to support a cause that we, sadly, hear about too often. This is something our guest testimonial speaker Debbie Clarke was sharing with us last night.

Going One, Going Twice, Sold!
Behind the scenes and away from the reality check felt across the room, the live auction was coming up soon. But before the real hustle began, Jess and I got the delicious task of showcasing a 10kg life-size Cadbury chocolate bar, tempting everyone, which was really fun!

Colour me pink

And so the serious bidding began. In addition to the team which was handling the auction, us interns were made to divide and conquer, and be 'spotters': signalling anytime someone in our section raised their hand to place a bid to benefit the auctioneer. My head was swirling from one side to the other, patrolling the area if you will, trying to keep up with the pace of the auctioneer's speedy monotone of which bidding price we were at. There was also a silent auction, but it was pretty quiet on that front; I wonder if any of those silent auction paintings got sold...

Wrapping it Up
In the end, everyone was dancing and having a good time. The live band got a crowd of their own up on the stage, singing away as the smoke machine fogged the disco laser lights. The atmosphere was infectious. When all the auction catalogues, corporate signage and other bits and pieces were collected, it was time for us interns to get together and have a glass of wine. What was a nice surprise was that the kitchen had some desserts left over for us to enjoy. Chocolate cups with raspberry coulis, macaroon meringue and flower petals was truly a treat!

The A-team

Things Easier Said than Done

To gain the benefits of new experiences and the knowledge they bring,
get out of your comfort zone! 

Usually during the glorious 30 minutes designated for lunch at my internship here at Momentum Forum Events I like to go outside, sit on a bench and read some Harvard Business Review articles (*geek alert*). Usually I find them scrolling through Facebook or LinkedIn; but lately I've spent more time on the latter. 

In the Zone
The mind wanders and I wonder how what I'm reading relates to my internship experiences. There was one about how if you're not outside your comfort zone, you're won't learn anything. This is something that I'm sure we've all experienced, especially when it comes to finding work placements, jumping into new waters and doing things you weren't sure about. 

There's this theory that you shouldn't wait until you're ready to do something - do what gives you the butterflies before you think you're ready; otherwise there may be a missed opportunity you wish you would have taken. The article pointed this out also, reading, "As we grow and learn in our jobs and in our careers, we’re constantly faced with situations where we need to adapt. And without the skill and courage to take the leap, we can miss out on important opportunities for advancement."

Work the Net
One such experience which can bring us out of our comfort zone, is moving to a different city to start a new job. I've talked to many of you, and read your detailed blogs, who have done the PR internship overseas; which I find amazing! Part of getting to know a new city is getting to know its locals and industry professionals you'll be working with. 

Networking events are a great way to stock up your fresh business cards and make new contacts. Another HBR report in my 'article library' talks about this: "If you’ve just uprooted yourself to move to a new city, where do you begin?" It offers some tips and advice so check it out!

Today we think of networking events as a pretty standard thing to get involved in. But 23 years ago it wasn't all that common, with people being unsure of what this term meant. All of us doing our internships, I'm sure, have been to a variety of networking events (if not, then I'd worry!). 

Everyone has different experiences when it comes to meeting new people at either industry-specific functions or multi-sector gatherings, or in exclusive or larger crowds. Yet one thing we can agree on is something that this recent article talks about: "Diverse networks enable the opportunity to interact with people in different departments, organisations, industries, and countries. They're valuable because they provide access to new information, whereas your existing co-workers tend to have similar insights to yours." 

Theory in Practice 
Interning at an events management company networking becomes critically important. What the team I'm a part of are doing involves getting people to attend events in support of a worthy cause. Creating, running and managing such events brings people from all walks of life together in one room; creating the chance to meet them and get to know their stories and expertise. They're networking opportunities in disguise. 

I'm someone who was always predominantly shy, and found it hard to get out of my shell to let the wider and brighter world in. One of my first jobs was working as a waitress in a busy restaurant. At first I was nervous and over-thinking too many things, but as time went by and I focused on what I had to do and began to enjoy it more and more, the nerves went away and my people skills improved massively. Now I work in offices all over Perth, and although interactions with people are still constant, the nature of how I have to deal with people is different. 

Although I still get nervous about dealing with people I don't know, and hoping to manage their expectations, I remind myself that taking that step outside my comfort zone is what will bring new experiences and opportunities; the ability to learn and grow. 

Let me know what you think about your networking experiences and how you get out of your comfort zone!

Between the Lines: Putting Pen to Paper

As interns, we know the importance of taking notes to write tasks down, take meeting minutes, and keep track of what we did today... 

In this blog I thought I'd write about something we do every day; write. Yet how we write makes all the difference. 

Hidden Details

You always hear about people expected to be detail-oriented and be able to discern the fine print in most situations. It seems like common sense, yet sometimes you really miss what's right in front of you. I'm sure most of us would agree that doing the same thing continuously hinders our progress, and maybe even makes us susceptible to miss the finer details.

For example, when I noticed that the signature image at the end of our standard emails for potential exhibitors was from last year with the wrong dates, I just thought, how could anyone not have noticed? So I changed it and now it’s not misleading anymore. This really shows that it’s all in the details, and anyone can miss a minor hidden one; but if you're the one to pick up on these it's a good skill to have. 

Take Note 

Another iceberg, another lesson

Another good skill to have is the art of note taking. Recently I read this really interesting Harvard Business Review article, about the amount of information we miss when we take notes on our laptops instead of good old-fashioned pen and paper. Although we may take a larger quantity of notes whilst typing away on our keyboards, writing long-hand helps us remember the context of what we've noted down instead of a word-for-word transcript. This is something that I really resonate with; I've always been a 'pen and paper' kind of girl. Writing instead of typing always makes it feel like you're connecting with what you're writing, which makes you remember the context of your notes. 

Other articles I've come across about the art of note taking have been from Lifehack and Scientific American; all coming to the same conclusion that people who write out their notes long-hand have a longer-lasting understanding of the material, than people who type their notes digitally. I just find it fascinating, because in class most of us sit glued to the keyboard, transferring each word said by our lecturers onto the digital page, thinking we'll remember it all because we have such extensive notes. Yet in reality, how many of us go back over these notes, tucked away in some virtual folder, to revise them? When you've got something physically in front of you, I think you're more likely to tend to it.

I remember before I started uni, I was questioning whether I would have to bring a laptop with me to lectures to take notes; already imagining I'd be the only one who didn't know how to touch-type and scribbling away in a notebook instead. As usual, I worried about something that didn't need fretting about.  

Client Meetings
As interns we're bound to be in several meetings, trying to absorb as much as we can from team and client meetings. There have been so many things I felt like I needed to write down so I wouldn't forget them, such as tasks, deadlines, a brief to-do list (which ended up being added to all the time), key words, logins and passwords, phone numbers, random calculations... I find it's really handy, and quite frankly necessary, to have a notepad with you on the go. 

Meetings are a great opportunity for exposure to observe more. Such as how your managers interact with existing and/or potential clients, how they go about creative a solution when they can't see eye-to-eye, and how they maintain their client relations. Client relations in a Forbes article points out what we already know; that exceptional client service makes up the core value for organisations. 


I went a bit further and found a blog post which covered some tips for building long-lasting client relationships, and one of the first things it read was the obvious truth that there is a multitude of ways to keep in contact with clients; phone calls, emails, Skype, social media, face-to-face meetings... this brings about the question of how do you know which is the best to use at which time? 

In meetings I default to be the note taker, detailing discussion topics, general agenda minutes and key points to remember; either for the team in the future or just for myself. It's a really good way to remember important facts or helpful tips, and your custom hand-written notes are also great prompts to refresh your memory of what you did on any given day at your internship. 

And the best part is they don't have to be neat!

When your boss is not around

I wanted to share with you what really happens when the boss has been away for three weeks, and what happens when you need to get back into the swing of things... 

Hello fellow readers! 

Since the last blog things have changed, as they usually do. For one, the boss is back. Since Barbara's treasure hunt in Poland for the mysterious Gold Train, she has brought back the sense of urgency, methodical chaos and rigor into the workday. The storm has hit (but in a good way)! Emails still linger, yet are no longer the only activity of the day, which I'm happy about. Yet what was happening here while she was away is a different story. 

In a day of an intern, we're under constant supervision. Colleagues, managers and the boss keep us busy and engaged throughout our times in the office or in the field. So what happens when the boss is not in the office to pull you in all sorts of directions? 

In a nutshell...  
...it gets quiet and the intern doesn't get that many responsibilities. Another thing that happens here is the process of writing, newsletter layouts, resizing photos and content creation all become less hectic. A writer's way of going about reaching a goal is to either logically outline what they're going to be writing about, how they want to structure it, or to prefer the tangled version of putting a newsletter together. Depending on how people around you influence your writing process, you might find it contagious and adopt this alternative pathway to successfully reaching your intern goals. 

Two ways of reaching your end goal

As the radio filled the silence, I had to do something during these doldrums. This being a work experience when things get quiet you have to take some initiative to ask for tasks you can do, how you can further help out, and keep asking plenty of questions. 

Never a Dull Moment? 
Speaking with other interns who are at different placements, I hear another story; they are always busy, loaded with work and completely overwhelmed - wondering when the day will end. Of course every place is different, and all our bosses and supervisors have different approaches to teaching and exposing us interns to the fast-paced world of PR, communications, events management, in-house work and consultancies. 

Coming in every week and not knowing what to expect is nervously exciting, so when you can accurately predict a bland day ahead, you'd want to make it better and turn it around. I don't know how you feel about this, but I'm sure we'd all rather be busy bees than wilting workers. 

Keep on Moving
Of course while Barbara was away she kept in touch, and her right-hand go-to assistant Siobhan was in the office, which gave us the chance to work together a lot more and enjoy the less-manic office vibe. So just because the boss isn't here doesn't mean you can slack off; if anything it gives you the chance to keep improving your skills, prove yourself to other co-workers and keep moving in a productive direction; even if responsibilities don't pile up on your desk. 

Booth sales sheets, Pink Ribbon Ball flyers and inspirational team posters

While Barbara was away, I had time to dedicate myself to an ongoing email frenzy and think about how to turn this into a useful blog post. I realised that any tasks that we do as interns serves a larger purpose, even if we can't see that at this very moment. Once it all comes together and we enjoy the hard work we'd put in, we realise that all those menial and repetitive things on our to-do list were not as terrible as we previously remembered them to be. 

Things Nobody Tells You

Hello fellow bloggers!

Since the last couple of blogs, I realised that it's been quiet here at Momentum Forum Events. Maybe because there are more admin tasks to complete before our next event, rather doing the type of work you’d expect to be doing in a consultancy, or because Barbara has gone to Europe on a treasure hunt, yet it got me thinking; is there more to it?

Doing another internship outside of uni at a boutique consultancy is giving me more depth of knowledge in terms of what PR encompasses; and there’s always a lot to learn. This seems like an open-ended question, and I don’t know about you all, but do you have some days which don’t seem very eventful and make you feel like you’re not really learning much?
Whichever way it’s going, here are some things I’ve picked up along the way; and things that nobody tells you... 

Who’s Calling?
Dealing with clients and potential exhibitors for events over the phone requires some self-assurance and a call strategy. No-one tells you how to get either. You either naturally have this gift or you fake it until you make it. Another thing you might notice is how easy it is being ‘blown off’ on the phone, so getting your message across in the most effective way is very important. One of the things I’ve learnt is not to say ‘just’ when you’re explaining from where you’re calling from. I know this one can seem like a tough habit to break; so many of us just like to use that word so much! 

Monkey See, Monkey Do
There are many programs which can create just the right content for distribution, such as newsletters for example. Mail Chimp is the one that we use here at Momentum, and although it is relatively easy and straightforward to operate, patience will be your friend when playing around with resizing the sponsors’ logos to make them all fit nicely together. It’s one of those fiddly tasks that you could spend ages on. 

One of my co-workers, who is great to learn from and work with, gave me a tutorial on how to wrangle the Mail Chimp, and then I had a go on my own for a little bit. You learn by observations, but you also learn by doing things yourself; and to be honest, I think you learn much better and effectively when you apply your knowledge and build on it through trial and error. That’s why I thought I would be creating this newsletter and take the time to do it on my own. Sure, having templates makes it easier to visualise where certain elements should be positioned, yet the creative side of doing such things, is what keeps this experience interesting.

The Iceberg Effect
You get days that are quiet and then you get days that productively busy; and at first I didn’t know what to make of those days that seemed to go by quickly yet, when I thought back on what I achieved during the day, I realised that there was no decisive goal to be reached or deadline to meet. Maybe it’s just the calm before the storm. At times things are not as exciting as they may seem, interning at an events management business, because the funny reality is that everything happens before the big day; all the preparation to make an event what it is on the day that others don't get to see from the outside. I like to call this the iceberg effect: 

You're Not a Robot

Working in an office environment there will always be lots of work to do. Sometime's you're lucky if you remember to take your lunch, even if you eat at the desk (you can say it's more efficient that way). Here in the office, however, the mind drifts and wanders, until you notice once again that there are no windows here. Since my first days at Momentum, I've been blessed with people who annoyingly remind me to go outside and take a break; "you're not a robot". In previous jobs I've been allowing myself to miss the fresh air and sunshine, but now decided to take the advice of seasoned pros; take a break. 

I think that maybe other interns would know this feeling too; not wanting to take too many breaks away from the desk as not to seem disinterested with the work that's to be done. We all really want to make the best out of these experiences and show that we are capable to handle all types of responsibilities. Let me know if you're also a self-admitted 'busy bee'!

 

Lunch-time landscapes

Hello Darlink!

Starting off this blog I wanted to take some time to reflect on something somebody said... 

Someone recently asked me, whether what I’m doing in the office is benefiting me the way I thought it would. Truth be told I didn’t set any expectations of what it would be like working at Momentum. Every internship, place of business and PR-oriented tasks vary; which is what keeps things moving in an interesting direction.

I saw this question as an opportunity to reflect on what I’m doing and how it actually relates to anything I’ve studied. Working with spreadsheets, emailing people and organisational tasks give me good exposure to the administrative side of running a business.

Even hearing how making phone calls are made in the office counts. It’s so easy to be brushed off on the phone because you can’t see that other person’s face – which makes it easier to reject the caller. Also, for example, telling someone you’re hoping to receive an invoice today to process, only makes it sound like your power in someone else’s hands.

Virtual Connections

Now, what I wanted to talk about was this thing we call social media and its virtual connections. So much of the time these days is spent on various social media sites, continuously investing yourself into the best public profile you want people to see. But one thing really stands out; you need to have a story to tell or some sort of message you think is important to share. It’s not enough to set up a blank Facebook account and get back to it to post something a week later; and I’ve seen that happen. 

Barbara showing off her Darlink!
necklace

Luckily Momentum is very much established and knows which bases to cover when it comes to such platforms, and I’m always asked to think of captions or post ideas and assist with them; which is a nice change to the spreadsheets and email conundrum.

When it comes to these virtual connections, for businesses, it is so important to be accessible and reachable in as many ways as possible. Going through some of the contact lists, you’d be surprised of how many registered businesses don’t even have a website for you to go to! There is so much internet traffic that passes through, that not having that online presence really limits organisations.

That's why creativity is such an integral part of standing out from the crowd. Thinking again about Barbara's talk show, you could just tell that her unlimited experience in the industry really propels her to keep pushing the boundaries. Her signature YouTube talk show called Hello Darlink! became what it is from a single idea to talk with inspiring people who make a difference in the world and share that with as many people as possible. There are some amazingly insightful interviews up there, so if you feel like it, go and check them out!

I hope you’re all enjoying your exciting internships everywhere, and keep warm in this Perth weather!

Kitty Cupcakes and the Perth Pet Expo

Hello fellow PR interns! 

I hope you've all had a good week interning and probably doing a million other little things in between - so let's keep this blog nice, short and sweet. 

This Tuesday was another internship day, and it included a quite unexpected outing. But first, the admin duties called. Emails, beloved spreadsheets and research awaited. Social media was calling too, and so I went on to do some promo posts and reposts on Facebook and Twitter.  After a while of getting into this, Barbara got the idea to see if she, Kasia (her daughter) and I could maybe go and talk to the owner of a new cafe just a couple of streets up the road, to be an exhibitor at the Perth Pet Expo later this year. 

So off we went.  

Trips to the Cat Cafe

Unexpected trip to Perth's
first Cat Cafe 

The owner of Perth's first Cat Cafe is Chris Mewburn, which we had the chance to catch and tell him about this partnership opportunity. Dealing with potential exhibitors for the Pet Expo , there are many businesses you’d never think were in the neighbourhood; one such being this cafe lounge for kittys and cat lovers alike. Having made its debut in Melbourne, this cafe for felines and their owners has purred on over to Perth.

Thinking about the Pet Expo and potential exhibitors, to be able to team up with the Cat Cafe would be a really great and beneficial partnership. That's why Barbara and Kasia were so excited about getting together to discuss possible plans and merchendise to sell. This is a unique collaboration, because at the expo food and drinks would not be able to be sold at a stand - especially being surrounded by furry animals. 

That's why we were all hoping to get the Claremont Showgrounds team to maybe work with us to create a win-win situation, in which the Cat Cafe would still be able to sell some of their food products. Asked what I would do, I thought it would be a possibility to maybe get them to wrap the cupcakes and other sweets in some sort of seethrough gift bags. Going ahead this was a real possibility, and I was glad I was more of a help. Having a brain storm session with Chris was spontaneously productive, which was later followed by a one-on-one meeting about joining us with a purrfect stall at the Pet Expo. 

Enjoying some cute cat cupcakes 

Yet putting puns aside, being a part of meetings was a breath of fresh air; because usually we're all in the same office, intently looking at the computer screens and saying that we're on our way to lunch (which usually doesn't happen until later anyway).

So far this internship experience is full of surprises, and there's always something new to learn. Reading everyone else's blogs is really insightful too; every place is so different and exciting! I always look forward to reading them. 

Creating New Momentum

Beginning any internship is nerve-wracking and exciting; and this was no exception with my first day with Momentum Forum Events.

It was a late afternoon at the Pan Pacific hotel, when I met with other Curtin interns to help set up the ballroom for the event of the night, the Men in Black Ball. 

This fantastic charity event is an annual dance-fest full of delicious food, good music and entertaining highlights thought the night with unforgettable guests (like Carmelo Pizzino from Dancing with the Stars and Soa ‘The Hulk’ Palelei, but I don’t want to name-drop).

The Men in Black Ball Flyer

The Men in Black Ball came about to raise awareness of men’s mental health and well-being. I found it amazing seeing this one idea, after many months of planning and organising, manifested itself that night. I didn’t really understand what it took to organise such an extravagant night, as I was there when it all came together; that’s why I’m looking forward to the next events (such as the Pink Ribbon Ball and the Silver Prints Perth Pet Expo) and being there from the beginning.

As I walked around collecting the raffle tickets from the elegantly set tables, feet aching from the discomforting and foreign feeling of wearing heels for too long, I found myself thinking that this is surreal; the thought of being a part of creating and putting something like this together throughout the internship.

Coming back home I knew that in the following weeks, working in the office, I wouldn’t be able to anticipate what each day would bring. To have the opportunity to be surrounding by so many different people and the variety of tasks that will become my responsibility is refreshing; beginning something new often is.

Admin Duties 

The Intern Desk

Administrative tasks are part of any job. A small office space houses some amazing work ethic, forward-thinking ideas, and hands-on things to accomplish. Barbara McNaught is the founder of Momentum, and is both relatable and inspiring. She really shows that you can take an idea and make it happen. To have a mentor like that is really humbling. She is also from Poland, so whenever we are alone in the office we often speak Polish, which makes me feel lucky to have someone else to talk with who knows this language.

Lately, I have been working a lot with spreadsheets; getting contact lists in order from the Men in Black Ball, and crafting emails to send out to potential exhibitors at one of the next events; the Perth Pet Expo. There is a specific colour code for the spreadsheets I use, which can get confusing if you don’t keep track of which person you emailed, which email bounced back, whose contact information was incorrect, who didn’t update a certain colour, and who was already emailed yet not marked as emailed and have doubled-up. No wonder spreadsheets have a bad reputation.

The Social Side of Media and a Piece of Advice 
Social media and its analytics have fascinated me since last year’s Transmedia Storytelling unit. Getting the chance to do a few social media posts and seeing how the number of people exposed to the links, posts and updates grows is really insightful. With Momentum, I observed from the start that every post on Facebook or every Tweet has a meaning behind it, and that it’s all about having a clear message you want to share with your target audience. Without ideas worth talking about, why use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram to strengthen your presence?

At another desk, working on spreadsheets,
social media posts and emails

Someone gave me some advice worth remembering when it came to doing the internship at Momentum, which I constantly remind myself of; take notes of anything and everything because every little detail counts. Deciding to take this advice, I now actively take notes of anything that I can write later in these blog posts or the final report. I found that having this sort of mentality helps in picking out key information or even skills that formulate themselves from doing various tasks; whether they be ‘desk-and-char’ based or completely hands-on.  

Coming into the compact office every week, I never know what I’ll be doing. From one side I find it unnerving (how am I supposed to prepare for the day??), but from the other side I see it as another learning curve. If I am able to learn something I didn’t know how to do before, then that’s the key thing I want to get out of this work experience.

I hope everyone reading this is also enjoying their internships all over Perth as well as overseas, taking the PR world by storm! 

- Ewelina