When Marie asked me over a coffee recently what I had learnt from this internship, I found myself in a rare position - I was lost for words. Not so much because I had nothing to say (I always have something to say - I even talk in my sleep!) but because the lessons learned were so great and varied that it was difficult to narrow it down to even a few.

As difficult as it is, I will attempt to do so. First and foremost I would say it has become apparent to me, as I'm sure it would for any university student tentatively entering the PR industry for the first time, that we do not control the journalist as much as some may think. If our story is of no use to them, if it doesn't have a specifically tailored angle and if it won't set them apart from the masses, they simply won't publish it. This is perhaps a little brushed over in the theory. The necessity of targeting appropriate publications has been relentlessly drilled into students like myself, under the assumption of course that your story will get coverage - I've since learnt this is not always the case!

In saying this, coverage does not necessarily equal message delivery. I would have to say this is the second major lesson I've learnt since commencing the internship. Publicity is only part of the equation. It's really all about meaningful communication.  When I say meaningful, I'm referring to targeting the right people with the right message. If not, you might as well be talking into a vacuum. It's not just about generating the noise - it's about generating the right noise in the right places.  

Until very recently, I still struggled to define PR when friends and family would constantly ask what it is I actually do. I noticed two very common misconceptions - that I spin the news and that I am Samantha from Sex and The City who attends a countless number of industry parties with free food, alcohol and good looking famous people. Since I struggled for my own definition, most people would settle for one of these two.

However since starting at Public City it has become so much clearer what this industry is all about such that I can now narrow it down to just one word: relationships.  This is my most significant discovery thus far - the importance of relationships and genuine human communication. You have to be honest, approachable and establish that sense of trust in your client so that they are confident you understand their needs and will get the job done. After all, the only way for your client to have a great relationship with their publics is for you to have a great relationship with them.

And who better to learn this from than Marie, Linda and Lloyd. They have each been tremendously instrumental in my professional development whilst kindly welcoming me into the company. Public City is almost the perfect place an intern to learn their craft. In fact, it is almost the perfect place for any practitioner. I say almost because it doesn't specify in the job description that you will get accused of stealing stationary, you will be held responsible for your colleagues' chocolate cravings and you will have to pretend to enjoy your boss' singing (I'm just kidding Marie - I love your singing). I'm not complaining though. At least they don't make me get their coffees - Linda don't get any ideas!

Despite months of career contemplation PR was definitely a surprise package, particularly for my friends and teachers. Those who would tell me I like to hear the sound of my own voice and that I think I am right about everything were convinced Law was for me. Others who had seen my strong passion for sport were expecting a career in Physio. But I shocked them all and myself for that matter. After selecting a degree in PR only minutes before my university preferences were due, it now seems like one of the wisest decisions I've ever made.

Only two months in and already what seems like a lifetime of lessons. Here's hoping for a long and fruitful career in PR... and with Public City!

Q&As (Questions and Answers) are an interesting exercise. In PR, we try to anticipate curly questions a client may receive from the media or public, and provide (well thought out and planned) answers the spokesperson can use with ease, without being thrown and without damaging the company's reputation.

I'll tell you one thing, the word "sorry" - isn't normally accepted in many corporate 'Answers'.

With the advent of social media - that's changing. One of the reasons for this is that individuals can now very easily share their disapproval, have their voices heard, their opinions shared. In numbers, this is very powerful! So answers that are not authentic, reasonable and human - will be quickly called out, and the response? You'll lose trust and credibility.

A tweet from Julie Poseti brought this Facebook Privacy Q&A to my attention this morning. The VP for public policy at Facebook answered questions from New York Times' readers. One thing that stood out for me, were the VP's liberal apologies in some of his answers. As well as his (perceived) comfort at accepting where Facebook could and (apparently) now will do things better when it comes to privacy and communication surrounding changes.

Some readers commented on his answers - not everyone accepted them. Not everyone accepted his apologies, either.

Have a read of it here -and let me know what you think.

This week, Public City turns three.

And to honour this special occasion, I am going to allow myself to do what we’re apparently never meant to do in business. I’m going to get emotional.

Now if emotion in business makes you a little uncomfortable, I suggest you stop reading now, and think. Think about what passion is. Think about what has driven (or forced) change in our society. Think about the best and worst work you’ve ever done. Did emotion play a part in any of these?

See, I started this company at a pretty rotten time in my personal life. I will spare you the details. Not because I’m overly private. Mostly because I plan on writing a book and quite frankly, you’re going to have to pay for that! (If Lara Bingle can demand money for her story, so can I!).

Surrounded by family and friends, peers, colleagues and three priests, one of which is now in jail (long story and unrelated to me, may I add) – I somehow managed to get out of the foetal position enough times to build the foundations of an agency that I can be proud of. And I say foundations because it really is only the beginning.

Albeit still in its infancy, there is no way I could have come this far on my own. The undying support of my family and friends aside, there are two very unlikely heroes in my professional story.

Adrianne Kern, Managing Consultant at Text100 and my first ever boss in a PR agency. Each year of working with Adrianne is worth one university degree! Never in my professional career have I had someone so dedicated to teaching, guiding, supporting staff and I wholeheartedly can say that she has been the greatest influence in my professional life. Thank you Adrianne. And thank you Text100 for giving me solid grounding for a successful career in PR.

Linda Moussa, Senior Media Executive at Public City. Linda joined me while I was working out of my parents’ place in a backyard office, which previously was a table tennis room, which previously was a shed, which previously was an above ground (leaky) pool. She believed in the vision from day one and has been instrumental to Public City’s success to date. And definitely instrumental to my sanity along the way. Linda - if you don’t know by now how much I value you, then I’ve been doing something wrong! And if you do know, then you have Adrianne to thank for my ability to articulate it.

To everyone who has supported Public City from day one; my friends from the IT Journalist community, our accountant Ray and finance manager Linda, the PRIA (thanks for Lloyd, we love him!), the IABC, my former colleagues, IT Studio, The Australian Media and of course, our fantastic clients – we look forward to many more years working with you and making a valuable and meaningful contribution to the ANZ communication landscape.