Hi! My name is Abby Singerling, and I am a senior Communication Studies major, graduating from Chapman this fall. Using the skills I have acquired from the courses I have taken throughout my time as an undergraduate, I have begun to forge my career path. Since August, I have been fortunate enough to be a Public Relations Intern for Jump Global Technology Advisors.

My co-workers and I at Jump’s charity golf tournament.

I applied to this internship through Handshake this past summer, and after reaching out to various companies with my resume and letters, Jump seemed like the perfect fit. Jump GTA is a premier technology advising company that specializes in procuring, customizing, and packaging leading digital and information technology solution services. I was interviewed over the phone by my soon-to-be supervisor, Amanda, Jump’s media & communications manager. I was eager to learn about her experience with the company as I shared my own background and qualifications. The following week, I was accepted into the position and introduced to the team through a video conference. I could immediately see what an invaluable experience this internship would be.

In the beginning, my responsibilities at Jump GTA would vary each day to assist Amanda in her projects. Some of these tasks included drafting and creating content and images for social media posts on Instagram and Linked In, to bring create stronger brand awareness. As the company had recently been started in March of 2020, I had a lot of autonomy in what I chose to write about or what design I was creating. This allowed me to use many of the tools from Chapman about connecting with our audience, as well as developing my professional communication skills with my coworkers.

Other tasks included attending two networking events that were outdoors, following social distancing guidelines, that allowed me to not only meet the people I was working with, but also get first-hand experience of the technology companies that Jump partners with. I researched the companies that we were working with to make sure I had prepared for the topics that would be addressed and talking points for myself. Another job I had was introducing new employees on the team on social media posts, which also allowed me to get to know my coworkers on a personal level. I was tasked with creating job postings and going through resumes, to send on to upper management, that led to the hiring of our current Sales Director. Jump’s social media presence has increased 64% in the time that I have been interning for them.

My advice for those looking for an internship in marketing and public relations is to channel your creativity and don’t be afraid to voice your ideas. It would have been challenging to succeed in this position if I did not learn how to speak up for myself in our weekly team meetings. This opportunity allowed me to apply all of the knowledge I had learned from the communication courses in my daily interactions and responsibilities. Before this internship, I was unsure about what direction I wanted to take my career. After being a PR intern for Jump Global Technology Advisors, I now know that my passion lies in creating content that connects with people and advancing company awareness. Use the resources that Chapman has to offer to support this next chapter of your life! Apply to several different positions, hold on to the feedback you receive, and foster lasting relationships with the people you work with. From this internship at Jump GTA, I am more confident in my abilities and the experience I bring as I enter the working world.