Small Agency PR

Written by: Amanda Joseph, COM '18

Reviewed by: Evan Mukoda, COM '27

Since September of 2016, I have been interning with a small, bespoke public relations firm in the heart of Boston named Kortenhaus Communications. Located on Newbury Street, the firm consists of no more than 12 employees. The small size doesn’t stop them from conquering the city, as new clients have emerged almost weekly since I began my internship. Since the agency is small but they take on a good amount of clients, they allow their interns to take on tasks of all kinds, which was perfect for me.

As this was my first official internship, I was nervous and hoping for a generous amount of guidance. I began with drafting social media calendars, copy ads, and research. As the weeks went on I felt more and more comfortable with what was being asked of me and was even feeling excited about what each day would bring.

I believe that small agencies are perfect for interns. The employees need as much help as they can get, and in my case, they were very much willing to help and guide me through my uncertainty at the beginning. As each week went on I learned more about not just Kortenhaus, but public relations in the city of Boston.

I learned that it is not always the well-known and large PR firms that provide a solid background in the field, but the agencies that will allow the interns to do the most. I felt lucky to be able to dive right into the daily tasks an employee would face, without the cliché intern activities like fetching coffee and making copies.