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internship thoughts
My 2024 Internship at Sonnhalter

My 2024 Internship at Sonnhalter

by | Aug 9, 2024 | Tradesmen Insights

By Sofia Zipparo, PR Intern

This summer, I had the pleasure of being Sonnhalter’s PR Intern. I can still remember the whole process of vying for this internship a couple of months ago. Throughout the rounds of interviews that I went through and then finally receiving the email confirming that I had landed the role, I was ecstatic knowing that I had been chosen. As my internship is coming to an end, I’d like to recap how high my expectations were before beginning and how it most definitely has followed through.

Throughout my time here, I was exposed to different writing styles that I wasn’t as well-versed in when I began. I was used to a narrative way of writing and had barely tampered with the ways of professional writing, such as news or press releases. Quickly, I learned the golden rule of “short and sweet” and how the implementation of this is imperative in news and PR writing.

Another aspect of my internship that taught me a lot about the PR, marketing and advertising industry would be generating graphics for our various clients (Wright, NIBCO, PHCC CONNECT, etc). While attending John Carroll University, I currently serve on the board of two different clubs and create content for their social media profiles. Before my internship at Sonnhalter, I had toyed around with Canva but only on a minor level. Now, as my internship is approaching its end, the Sonnhalter team has taught me a great amount of knowledge about how to use Canva while utilizing a brand’s coloring, font and logo. This skill, amongst many that I’ve learned while being here, will be forever useful for future endeavors, especially with the continued rise of social media.

Following previously from talking about writing styles, one other way of writing that I learned how to do well throughout this internship would be blog writing. For blog writing, it does incorporate a more narrative style of writing, but it still insists the notion of “short and sweet.” While at Sonnhalter, I have written many insightful blogs on a various amount of topics, ranging from biographical to educational to technological. Be sure to check out all of our blogs written on our website.

One of the major factors in working at an agency is to actually face the clients that you are working with. Throughout my internship, I’ve been given the opportunity to actually visit the places that I am writing about. Babcox Media and Wright Tool Company, both located in Ohio, were happy to give me a look into how each of their companies function on a day-to-day basis. Both were great to visit, and it was nice to actually see these companies, versus just typing about them. For our Annual Tool Drive as well, I was able to visit each manufacturer’s site to see how they function, while dropping off each donation box. It was a beneficial experience since I had never really been exposed to any trade workplace before.

As an overall, I can confidently say that I have gained and learned so much from being apart of the Sonnhalter team for the 2024 summer. The insightful information that was taught to me about all of the ins and outs of the PR, marketing and advertising industry, especially in a niche industry such as the trades, will be valuable information that I’m able to bring with me anywhere I go and end up.

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The 3 Most Important Things I Learned as an Intern at Sonnhalter

by | Aug 21, 2014 | Uncategorized

Emily Bessell just wrapped up a summer internship here at Sonnhalter and before she left, she shared some of the things she learned during her time on our team. Here’s what she had to say…

With summer winding down and my senior year at Denison University just around the corner, I’m beginning to reflect on my internship experience here at Sonnhalter.

The first thing that came to mind was,

“Where did the time go? It seems like I just started yesterday!”

But I will save the familiar ‘time is fleeting’ conversation for another day.

The second and third things that popped into my head were more closely related to what I aim to communicate in this post. That is, the three most important things I learned as an intern.

1. Research skills are important.

One of my predominant projects this summer involved heavy research so effective skills were essential. However, I learned that research skills are important for other things too, like preparing for meetings with clients. During my time as an intern, I was included in client meetings and conference calls. While observing these meetings, I wanted to be well informed and if needed, participate in the conversation with confidence. To do this, I engaged in thorough research about the client and company prior to the meeting. With this kind of preparation, I was well informed and ready to learn new things.

2. Always carry a pen and paper.

This might sound obvious, but I learned never to leave my office without my black Sakura Gelly Roll pen and Moleskine notepad (equipment is important too!). These tools came in handy, as I am quite the note taker. Each day is full of new information and writing it down helped me commit it to memory. It is also important to take note of key projects so you can refer back when updating your resume and LinkedIn profile.

3. Ask questions.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. As an intern, asking questions is important in learning how to do things the right way the first time. I found that co-workers with experience are excellent resources and are incredibly helpful in answering questions and providing feedback.

I’ve had a productive couple of months at Sonnhalter, in the northern part of Ohio, and while I still have a lot to learn and improve upon, I have gained important lessons and invaluable skills. During my time as an intern, I was able to see how and why the Sonnhalter team is excellent at what they do. It was a pleasure working with them and I am truly thankful for the experience.

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