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Profile
of Caitlin Martin, Intern, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, 12/05
Story by Jon Ebel
PPW/Writing Center Publicity Intern
 Caitlin
Martin will be the first to tell you that the Carnegie Library of
Pittsburgh is more than just a place for information. The Carnegie
Library of Pittsburgh is also a social hub where people can meet
to study, read, or socialize. The Library is constantly involved
with the community by partnering with many nonprofit organizations
for special benefit events.
Caitlin had to be aggressive when applying for the Library’s
Marketing internship, but ultimately it was her previous experience
(four internships) that set her apart from the rest of the applicants.
She felt completely welcomed by the organization but soon learned
it was tough to write for an organization she was not yet familiar
with. The tone of the organization’s writing and way of publicizing
information was something she had to learn firsthand.
At her site, Caitlin attends meetings and sometimes visits other
branch libraries. During her trips to these branches, Caitlin notes
the professional tone of her colleagues. “I learn how to properly
interact with people, what ‘real world’ business is
like and what not to say,” she says. By learning how others
handle certain business situations, Caitlin feels more confident
about some of the challenges that lie ahead.
Caitlin pursues a variety of tasks, including researching, writing
letters, assisting in writing a submission for a library award,
writing press releases, and writing brochure copy--a major step
for Caitlin. “[I was] in charge of the copy for the brochure,
which was a big deal; I was in charge of the story angle and all--they
just helped me revise it,” she says.
This internship has allowed Caitlin to broaden her network of business
contacts in the Pittsburgh area. She knows someone who knows someone
else, providing her with many worthwhile contacts who give her advice
on the types of jobs she should investigate. While in marketing
meetings, Caitlin combines her academic learning with her on-the-job
learning.
There is no doubt that Caitlin is a hard worker. She has never taken
a day off due to too much schoolwork and will stay up all night
perfecting a press release if she needed to. Her internship has
allowed her to become better at critiquing her own work and improving
her writing.
Caitlin hopes to receive an internship with Heinz next semester--for
her sixth internship! She wants to ultimately work for a for-profit
organization, and she feels Heinz would be a great place to start.
In fact, Caitlin believes any internship will help prepare someone
for the business world. “[It is an] experience that you cannot
explain unless you are there,” she says. “You can’t
learn how to conduct yourself in a business when you are sitting
in a class learning about it.”
Caitlin advises anyone interested in an internship to find one in
your freshman or sophomore year--that way you can move on to bigger
and better internships by senior year. “Just imagine what
kind of an amazing job you could get,” she says.
Caitlin hopes to become the vice president of marketing for a large
company with people she enjoys working with. The Public and Professional
Writing Certificate was a perfect choice for Caitlin who wanted
to perfect her writing, learn how to write attention-getting copy,
and gain credibility.
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