What my Spurwing internship taught me

Halisha Nandwani

The prospect of an internship can seem daunting. The pressure of your first day combined with worrying about making mistakes, not to mention the juggle of multiple tasks and deadlines. At Spurwing, I was given an opportunity to work on projects across the agency’s areas of expertise – healthcare and agriculture – and to jump straight in with responsibilities of my own. Of course, I made mistakes, but I learnt from them. And the hands-on way of learning helped me to become 1% better every day, and a little bit closer to becoming a PR pro.

Here are the top three things I learnt:

1. Be willing to step outside your comfort zone 

It’s sometimes easier to shy away from the things you feel less comfortable doing, but my experience was enriched because I decided to say yes to as much as possible. Put your hand up for brainstorms, ask to be involved in a project you’re passionate about and try to join as many meetings as you can. I was at Spurwing to learn, which meant trying new things.

2. Planning, creativity anda clarity are the keys to success

I learnt how important these three things are to doing a job well. Research was often the starting point, and deep diving into topics helped me understand a client’s business and how we could help. Over time, I gained the confidence to explore my creative mindset and contribute ideas that were unique. Finally, all efforts would go to waste if I wasn’t clear, crisp, and concise with my communication.

3. Understanding yourself helps you grow

The feedback culture at Spurwing is fundamental to growth and development, and like all new joiners I received my own ‘Strengths profile’ to understand what makes me tick and how colleagues can bring the best out of me. I learnt to ask lots of questions and the team went out of their way to support me. I understood that while constructive criticism can be confronting, being receptive to it can only push you further.

At times, the most unpredictable adventures can bring about the most profound learning experiences, and an internship at Spurwing was no exception!