Figuring out where to do your internship for your Bachelor’s Degree can be a struggle. We asked PR Intern Lovisa Wang Söderberg, our latest addition to the Viacom Stockholm office, why she chose to do her internship with us and what to take in consideration as a student looking for an internship within media and communications.
Hi Lovisa! Tell us a little bit about yourself!
I’m a 22 year old media and communications student at Södertörn University, planning to graduate this spring. I’m like any other student thinking back and forth about what to make of the future. I think working with communications is really interesting, and media of all kinds has always been a passion of mine. Society is evolving so fast, and it is both fun and challenging to keep up to date with all the new and fun ways to communicate.
Why did you choose Viacom for your internship?
I knew I wanted to work with communications and was looking for companies that could fit well with that. I was also particularly interested in Viacom because they manage some of the most popular brands in the world, such as MTV and Nickelodeon which are both household brands that I grew up with. I wanted to see how companies and brands like that maintain the love and interest for their brand amongst the public and the people who consume their content and products. I consider that as very valuable and relevant knowledge for my future within the media and communications business.
What is it like being an intern at Viacom?
It’s great! You get a lot of freedom to do what you like, but that also means you have to take a lot of responsibility. I learn something new every day and I’m improving my skills especially in writing and digital communication. Writing is something I love to do, so for example writing press releases is something I enjoy and learn very much from. I also get an insight into upcoming shows and projects within Viacom, which is of course exiting. As a PR Intern I’m learning a lot about public relations, but also about things within other fields such as statistics, TV-ratings and numbers which is cool. Last but not least I enjoy the open office landscape and of course the music videos playing in the background on a big screen from the VH1 channel.
Do you have any advice for others looking for an internship?
Be out and about in time! If it’s a part of your education, start sending in applications at the beginning of the semester before your internship is planned. Send as many applications as you can, but be persistent with the companies you really like. Also make sure that your résumé and work examples are at their best! That worked for me and now I’m here at Viacom getting the best possible experience within PR that’s relevant to the kind of work I would like to be doing in the future. Also apply for a spot that you think will suit you and your qualities. Of course you’re at your internship to learn, but some previous experience within the field is always a plus. The PR department suits me really well because I love writing and communicating messages to others, so choose an internship where you get to do something that you enjoy!