100 Hours Later: What I Learned from My Internship at Elm Communications

As I near the end of my internship with Elm Communications, I found myself revisiting the very first blog post I wrote at the start of this journey. In that post, I reflected on why I chose to study communications and what I hoped to gain from this internship.

Looking back now, 100 hours later, I’m a little embarrassed by how confident I was going in. I thought my (somewhat) decent grades and successful first internship gave me a solid foundation in communications—that I’d breeze through this next experience. Within the first 10 hours, I was humbled. Completely. I realised just how many different paths, roles, and specialisations exist within this field, and how memorising theories in the comfort of a university classroom is nothing like putting them into practice in the real world.

What I’ve Learned

One of the biggest lessons? Every strength you think you have can (and should) be improved. That mindset is powerful—not just for internships, but for life.

I’ve always been proud of my writing, but during this internship, I discovered that strong writing in a university assignment doesn’t automatically translate to professional communication. Writing in the workplace requires clarity, structure, and adapting to brand tone and audience. It’s something that needs to be worked on constantly.

When I first started, many of the tasks I was given during this internship were completely new to me. At times, I didn’t even know where to begin and I would spend the first 2 hours of any task researching, but slowly I realised I understood the terms Mel and Amy were using and didn’t need to ask 25 questions before beginning. 

I also noticed the shift recently while working on a fake campaign for a uni assignment—I was applying things I’d learned at Elm without even realising. Whether it was event planning, time management, or simply communicating more effectively, the knowledge I’ve absorbed here has made a real impact.

Advice to Future Interns

If you’re starting an internship soon, here’s what I wish someone had told me:

• Soak up everything: Ask questions. Watch how your supervisor’s work. Listen more than you speak. This is one of the only times in your career when you’re allowed to not know what you’re doing—and no one expects you to.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself: I spent way too much time stressed about tasks I didn’t understand or afraid to ask for help because I didn’t want to seem incapable. My breakthrough came when I realised no one was judging me—quite the opposite. Internships are designed to be learning opportunities, and everyone understands that. In the context of my experience, Elm welcomed my questions and encouraged me to try new things, even if I failed.
• Be open to feedback and advice: I was lucky to have supervisors like Mel and Amy—between the two of them, they seemed to have every corner of the communications world covered. Their insights were invaluable, and I learned so much just from conversations with them. It was Mel, in fact, who encouraged me to finally update my LinkedIn profile—a small nudge that has already opened new doors for me.

Advice to Employers

In my very first blog post, I encouraged employers to take a chance on the next generation of communication professionals. I want to double down on that message.

Interns come in wide-eyed and eager, looking up to their supervisors as models of who they hope to become in the industry. Investing time in teaching and mentoring us doesn’t just shape our careers—it can reinvigorate your own passion for the field. Sometimes, our “naive” questions or fresh ideas are exactly what your team needs.

As I begin the search for my first ‘real’ job, I feel far more prepared because of this experience. Instead of walking into every room feeling completely clueless, I now carry practical skills, industry insight, and a deeper understanding of what a career in communications truly looks like.