You're exploring different communication areas. How can internships guide you to your specialization?

Internships aren't just stepping stones; they're signposts. To find your niche: ?????? ???????????? ?????? ??????: Experience different communication roles. ???????? ?????????????? ??????????????????????: Explore various industries and settings. ?????????????? ??????????????????????????: Build relationships with mentors and peers. ?????????????? ???? ???????? ??????????????????: Identify what you're naturally good at. ?????????? ???????? ????????????????: Find a role that excites and fulfills you. Internships aren't just about gaining skills; they're about discovering your path. By exploring different areas and reflecting on your experiences, you'll find the perfect communication specialization.

Internships are the best time to ASK QUESTIONS and be curious! Meet people on different teams and genuinely try to get to know them and understand what their team does. Then ask how it connects to the company's larger vision. This will help you understand which parts of the organization you feel most passionate about and can lead you towards where you could provide the most impact.

Exploración de diferentes roles: Las pasantías te permiten probar distintos aspectos del campo de la comunicación, como relaciones públicas, marketing digital, redacción, comunicación corporativa, gestión de redes sociales, entre otros. Esto te ayuda a identificar qué áreas te interesan más y en cuáles te sientes más cómodo o destacas. Desarrollo de habilidades específicas: A través de la experiencia práctica, puedes desarrollar y perfeccionar habilidades clave, como la escritura persuasiva, el dise?o de campa?as, la gestión de crisis o el análisis de audiencias. Las pasantías te permiten identificar qué competencias disfrutas utilizar y en cuáles tienes más potencial para crecer.

Internships are like a real-world experiment in psychology. Think of it like Albert Bandura’s "social learning theory" - you’re learning by doing and observing. When you write a press release or manage social media, you're testing communication theories in action, like how people respond to certain messages (just like how Bandura studied behavior through observation). Each task is a mini-experiment where you discover what works, what doesn't, and what you enjoy. This hands-on learning sharpens your skills, giving you a clearer idea of which communication area fits you best, much like finding out which strategies lead to positive behaviors.

It's all about practice. While it's not always easy to apply concepts or theory you learned from a class into the real world, what I love doing is asking myself: "What parts of my work/life does this show up in?" That will allow you to intentionally reflect and see how you could bring that learning and apply it into real life scenarios.

Networking takes practice. This might sound silly, but it's almost like dating--the first dates tend to make you very nervous but as you talk to more people, you begin feeling more and more comfortable about being yourself. Practicing with a coach or even recording yourself to introduce your background and experience, then watching it back can really help set you up for success. Try it! You might learn a few things about how you're showing up and your communication patterns.

What's important isn't you coming in and already being an expert in whatever industry your internship is in. It's about you coming in and being curious enough to ask questions. Express your desire to learn about the industry and even better, take some of your previous knowledge and experience to apply it into this new industry and highlight any similarities.

Earlier on in my career, the feedback I was getting from managers was constantly "Ricky, you fly under the radar. You need to speak up more". That feedback was not helpful because it was trying to mold me to become a person that I am not--one who is very extroverted and constantly pushing for self promotion outwardly. Instead, I began observing other leaders that I admired. The ones with calm confidence. Those who exude confidence without even having to say anything in the room. Then, I invested time in myself and developed my communication skills. I spent many hours practicing how I wanted to communicate and also ensured I remained true to my authentic self whenever I prepared presentations. Over time, it came more naturally.