My name is Nevaeh Matias and I am a sophomore Communication Studies major, with an Information Security and Policy minor. During the fall semester, I had the opportunity to work remotely at Sweat and Co, a public relations agency based out of Los Angeles. At Sweat and Co, I worked as a Public Relations Intern, handling many day-to-day operations. I was mainly responsible for researching events for clients to find opportunities they can promote themselves at, data input for project management, and even writing a practice press pitch. With that being said, this internship did not just fall from the sky. So sit back, relax, and let me tell you about how I landed this opportunity that I did not see coming. 

The idea of networking in school is intimidating to everyone. When I first heard about how I had to make connections in college, I pictured myself standing in a large conference room wearing a tie, slacks, and uncomfortable heels, shaking hands with people, and trading business cards like a speed dating event. However, networking is not always that. I wanted to find an internship as fast as I could because I wanted to apply what I have learned so far in my communication studies classes and in the real world. So, that is where my journey of searching for “PR and Marketing Internships Near Me” came about.

The internship search

I never believed in the “hype” around using LinkedIn. For those who do not know, LinkedIn is essentially a social media platform used for business and networking. Embedded in my head was how the platform is crucial in gaining work experience. And prior to going to college, I did not believe in this. However, when you are overwhelmed with so many job search sites, you find yourself gravitating towards one. And that is what I did.

I developed my LinkedIn profile early on and applied for over 100 PR and Advertising jobs. Some recruiters got back to me, and some did not. Some days I felt hopeless because I was worried that I seemed like I was not a good fit for any of the jobs. Every day felt like a waiting game for me, until one day, I decided to reach out to a lady at a marketing and advertising agency. To my excitement, she replied instantly, and all of my stressors were gone! However, she informed me that the position I was looking for at the company was an old listing and they did not have any positions available. She reached out a few hours later and informed me that I should reach out to a man called Jeff Sweat who is the founder of Sweat and Co.

Zoom meeting with the team

I ended up reaching out to Jeff as soon as I was told that he may be offering intern openings. But, the school year was rounding a corner and by the time I was settled back at Chapman, I still did not hear a response. I was bummed again. It was a rollercoaster of emotions because I knew that nothing was set. Yet, one day, as I was doing my homework, I got a LinkedIn notification saying that Jeff Sweat messaged me. After a few months of silence, he told me that he was still looking for an intern and that I could get on a phone call with him to talk more about the opportunity. And sure enough, I did.

Needless to say, when I pictured myself applying for internships, or any job for that matter, I was not expecting it to be a waiting game of cat and mouse online. However, oftentimes, great opportunities can just come out of nowhere, and that is what happened to me.

My experience at Sweat and Co has been nothing but similar to a close-knit family. Throughout my time there, I have learned what it takes to be part of such a small founding team. One small team has a huge impact on their clients, their client’s clients, and onward. I have learned how to successfully write a press pitch to companies in hopes of having them cover a story. I have learned how to do effective research for specific clients tailored to their needs. And it was all because of an opportunity that hit me out of the left field.

So, if you find yourself stuck in the overwhelming possibilities of finding a job or internship, just know that you can never overlook the many chances that are in front of you, and that there is always a hidden possibility that you might just land a job that you did not see coming.