Journey from Intern to Account Coordinator
On the brink of completing my Diploma in Mass Communications in Penang, I began thinking about future career paths.
I first discovered Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and in 2018, my family took a flight to Brisbane – the first ever city in the land Down Under we’d visit for a holiday and university tour. Unbeknownst to me at the time was the significance of the trip which would spark the chain of events leading into the major career milestones ahead.
From the heartbreak of bidding farewell to loved ones and friends, to meeting my partner here, interning, graduating with Distinction, and landing a dream job in the industry; to say it’s been eventful since moving to Brisbane would be a severe understatement.
So, back to the beginning.
Having interned in an advertising agency, I thought my career path was set in stone for the foreseeable future. But as semesters went by and my studies expanded, the idea of public relations was progressively clearer to me – I had excellent grades in all my PR subjects, and received great advice from lecturers who saw my potential in this side of the field.
It wasn’t long before an exciting new path formed where I could bring my PR skills to life and help draw attention to brands in a creative way.
Enter In The Making.
It stood out to me from day one that being the intern did not prevent me from being welcomed with open arms and being included into the closely knitted team. Each day entailed its unique set of experiences – from team WIP meetings, creating media lists, writing pitch notes, pitching stories on the phone to journalists, crafting social content, starring in the occasional TikTok video – no day was ever dull nor the same.
Throughout my 12 weeks as an intern, I never faced a moment of hesitation nor had doubts holding me back from participating in client discussions or asking what was seemingly a ‘dumb’ question in mind. Trust among the Makers was clearly practised as wholehearted encouragement and support was at the ready instead of micromanagement. Time allocation for reviews was also a top priority as the team ensured I understood the room for improvement with each task underwent instead of merely correcting and changing my work.
I am now proud and humble to be an Account Coordinator through the seamless transition from intern and can confidently say I’ve earned this opportunity through my efforts, work attitude, and due diligence. The reality is that I had discovered so much more to learn and enjoy in this line of work through my internship as opposed to classroom learning, setting aside plans to pursue a Masters and instead give it my all in this industry.
Excitingly, no two days ever being the same still remains true. Gone are the days of being provided to-do lists as I now support accounts across key areas including earned media, social media, content creation, and influencer engagements. My newfound daily task list includes consuming news, media monitoring, and replying to clients paired with intriguing new tasks from an array of clients ranging from NGOs to consumer based products and services.
The key piece of advice I have for others who are on the same path I once was is that persistence is key, and first impressions significantly matter. You may not get an immediate response to emails, or a response in your favour, but staying determined on the path you set foot on will lead you to an eventual destination.
Take those extra steps out of your comfort zone to leave a lasting and positive impression - genuinely and sincerely - on peers and every one you come across in life and on Linkedin, because you never know who you might be shaking hands or connecting with.
It has been an eventful prologue to the many chapters ahead as this is just the start of my career…and my story is still in the making.
Written by Imran Azmi