I feel uncommonly blessed when it comes to my college experience for several reasons, but mainly, in regards to academics, because of the valuable relationships I formed with my professors and friends, or soon-to-be colleagues. I learned everything from the intricacies of public relations to the routines of interviewing to the practice of networking while soaking up the knowledge of my experienced professors and the tales of friends just dipping their toes in the world, learning from everyone and sharing what I could.

An important milestone was, of course, my first internship interview and for someone who has never been in the hot seat before, it can be a very daunting. I went to everyone and everything – professors, friends, family, internet – gathering all the advice I could before taking my first step in the professional world.

Now that I’ve had the amazing opportunity to sit on the other side of the table and be the one asking the questions, I realized that some students might not have the resources I did when preparing for an interview and while all were wonderfully to speak with, some either forgot or didn’t know some of the basics of interviewing.

I wanted to share the three things that no prospective employee should ignore:

1. Research the company/agency before the interview
2. Create a list of questions to spit out when asked the final “Do you have any questions for me?” question
3. Write thank you emails after the interview

While the above might seem rudimentary, the most common one to forget is writing a thank you note. This is a tried and true tactic that will remind interviewers about your interview, and allows you to repeat some of your best qualities that set yourself apart from others for the position. In terms of always having questions prepared, this is a piece of advice I heard from almost everyone and I believe helped me many times in my interviews. Even asking a question that you don’t necessarily need to know the answer to will show how interested you are and might also uncover some facts about the internship or company that you didn’t know about. When jobs are as competitive as they are these days, it’s the little things that set you apart from the rest.

This past March I was lucky enough to explore the New York City realm of public relations with Professor Quigley  and other motivated Boston University seniors. We met with everyone from CEO’s to entry level employees, and from each individual, we learned the same piece of advice. Experience is everything when applying for a job.

There are some students who focus solely on papers, exams, and most of all grades, and fail to notice the reality of the world outside of school. While doing well and securing a place at the top of the class is one of my highest priorities, I believe having an internship in my field of choice should also be one of my highest priorities. When I’m not at school, I’m at work, and vice versa. Still being a student myself, I am by no means an expert on internship advice. However, as my second internship came to an end last week, I began to reflect on my past internship experiences. Without having an internship, I don’t know if I could even be sure public relations is the right track for me. What I gain from my classes is beyond valuable, but there is only so much to learn in a classroom setting. My public relations classes gave me the foundation for my career, but only through applying this knowledge to real world campaigns have I finally learned what it’s like to live and breathe public relations. I whole heartedly believe the only way to truly understand and fully experience public relations is to throw yourself into an internship.

This brings me back to my most memorable tip  from the big apple. Remember it: Experience is everything when applying for a job. Most communications schools require students to complete at least one internship before graduation. I’m trying to complete as many internships as I can before committing to a full time job, and I start my third on Monday. Each internship helps me to narrow down where I hope to be after donning my cap and gown. In-house or an agency? Large, medium, or small agency? Consumer, corporate, cause marketing, investor relations, or entertainment? The possibilities are endless.

What do you think? If you’re a public relations professional, do you prefer students who weigh heavily on academics or experience?