Three Valuable Lessons I Learned During my Curley & Pynn Internship
April 28, 2025
By Curley & Pynn
Authored by Curley & Pynn Public Relations 2025 Spring Intern Maria Caballero.
You might think that after completing three public relations internships, the lessons would start to sound the same. However, my experience at Curley & Pynn over the past few months proved just the opposite.
As a C&P intern, I feel like I really had the chance to jumpstart my career learning curve, gaining hands-on experience that treated me more like an entry-level professional than a typical intern. I attended client meetings, wrote pitches, and contributed to strategic research, all of which helped sharpen my skills in ways that will serve me wherever my career takes me. Of all the lessons I learned, these three stand out as the most valuable and transferable:
Active Listening Can Take You Far
Starting a new role, especially as an intern, can feel overwhelming. You’re applying everything you learned in the classroom while also adapting to a new team, culture and roster of clients. I quickly discovered that the best way to soak up information was by actively listening during meetings.
In today’s fast-paced, distraction-filled world, being truly present makes a bigger difference than you might think. Listening closely and taking notes helped me not only understand client priorities and team goals but also stay engaged.
I learned that, even if parts of a conversation don’t directly involve your work, knowing the broader context will make you a stronger team member.
Time Management is Essential
Nothing prepares you for managing multiple client accounts quite like an internship at a PR agency. Despite bringing some experience from a student-run firm, I realized the professional world operates on a faster, more demanding level.
Balancing competing priorities, meeting deadlines, and tracking billable time are skills I haven’t perfected yet but I’ve made major progress. One key takeaway: nobody manages everything perfectly all the time. What matters is being transparent. If you’re going to miss a deadline, communicate early and often. Reliability and accountability make you an invaluable part of any team.
Don’t Be Afraid to Learn from Others
Agency life can be intense, but every day offers opportunities to learn if you’re paying attention. Whether through formal client meetings or casual conversations around the office, there’s always wisdom to soak up. Some of the best advice I received came not from structured feedback, but from offhand remarks about career growth, work-life balance and navigating challenges. Everyone you meet has a perspective worth hearing. Remaining open to these lessons helps you become not just a better intern, but a better professional.
I’m far from the ideal intern but in my time at Curley & Pynn I’ve learned that the most important part of any internship is learning and growing. My time at Curley & Pynn laid the foundation for how I hope to approach my career: with curiosity, resilience and a willingness to keep building on what I’ve learned. I’m grateful for this experience and excited to see where the journey leads next!
