Kim Vu

Consumer Brand Public Relations Intern with Kohl's

Major: Strategic Communication
Graduation year: Spring 2019

Kim Vu

Interview

How did you find out about your internship?

I was looking through internship postings on GoldPASS, and came across an internship posting from Kohl's!

What were your responsibilities?

In my role as a Consumer Brand Public Relations intern, I helped assist in leading press events to gain media coverage of Kohl's products in national and broadcast outlets, wrote pitch cadences to editors, and vetted influencer and media relationships. I also worked on holiday branding and analyzed monthly social marketing numbers for the team.

What did you enjoy most?

During my internship, I loved getting to work with national magazines and TV shows to implement Kohl's products into their segments. It was so cool to see how a pitch that I wrote, or a product that I featured, would gain media traction with well-known publications and broadcasts to eventually be featured. I'd sometimes turn on the TV to see a Kohl's product featured in one of Good Morning America's segments, and it was unbelievable to think that I had established a strong relationship with Good Morning America for them to make the decision to show the product to their 4 million viewers.

What is something that you learned from your internship experience and how will that help you in your new job?

Something that I learned from my internship is that communication is key. There is only one marketing team in the New York Design Office, so while half of my team was in the Big Apple with me, the other half was at the corporate office in Milwaukee. Since there was a physical gap in communication, I learned the value of diligent and concise communication. Whether that's keeping everybody aligned on a project, or backing up my decisions with reasoning, it was an important quality that I needed to develop, and I am excited to keep fostering that as I return to Kohl's and New York City for my job as a Public Relations and Social Marketing Coordinator after graduation.

What's one piece of advice you would give other students about securing an exciting internship?

I don't think that this gets stressed enough, but I would encourage students to focus on company culture and values. The company that you represent should ultimately resonate your personality and work ethic. For me, that was Kohl's. I found a company that was fun, innovative, and fast-paced - yet, I enjoyed every second of it. You are going to be immersed in that company for the whole duration of your internship, so find a company that you can connect with on a personal level.