When I Was an Intern: Emily

Name: Emily Gaus
Internship Period: Jan 2019–May 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Current Role: Junior Account Strategist

I applied to Praytell by…
Texting Erin Fisher that I still REALLY wanted the internship after my last failed attempt in the fall. Persistence is key my friends.

My first day was surprising because…
One of my clients, Goose Island, had announced a Super Bowl sized activation that we so lovingly called the “Field Goal Challenge.” It involved 100 amateur, arm-chair fans kicking the same field goal that Bears kicker missed to advance the Bears in the Super Bowl — the prize being free beer for a year, which as it turns out is not a legal thing we could offer. Having never worked in PR in my life, I was truly “baby thrown in the deep-end” status on day one tracking 500M+ print, online, and broadcast impressions and helping coordinate endless inbound media requests. No one made the field goal, and I’m pretty sure I got some free beer.

I knew I was in the office too long when…
Isaac convinced me that waking up in the middle of the night for 6:00am yoga was a good idea and we showed up to work before my alarm usually goes off. Showering in a closet at WeWork is certainly one way to start a day.

I was (and still am) addicted to this Slack channel…
#OverheardAtPraytell… if you know you know. Out your coworkers #fortheculture.

The most underrated office snack was…
Breakfast burritos. With EXTREMELY limited freezer space in the old Chicago WeWork, these were supremely clutch for the midmorning internal meeting you desperately wish you had some brain food for.

The #1 overrated office snack was…
The classic Hot Cheeto. If it’s possible for something so perfect to be overrated, that is certainly something we achieved in Chicago this year. Five bags per grocery order and multiple stomach aches later…

I knew I wanted to work here full-time when…
Erin Fisher would post Instagram stories from the Brooklyn office back in 2017. I didn’t know what she was doing for a living, but damn it looked fun. Praytell looked like a place I could get on board with, so I began scamming my way in.

My advice to my past intern self would be…
Work from home was made for -50 degree Chicago winters.

Looking for an internship? Check out our job postings.  

Emily Gaus joined Praytell in January of 2019, working across a multitude of consumer, lifestyle, F&B, and B2B brands, specializing in media relations. She has a knack for writing, thought leadership, and timely, impactful storylines that move the needle for clients. Emily has a passion for social good and bringing these causes to life through earned media, with tried and true relationships at top-tier outlets that consistently deliver.