Elizabeth Nguyen Son

While about 67% of students who register internships with The American University of Paris choose to stay local and complete their internships in Paris, some return to their hometowns, and others travel somewhere new in order to absorb a different culture. AUP students are global explorers and AUP alumni live and work in 142 countries, covering just about every corner of the globe, so it’s no surprise that our students use their internships to travel and explore.

Elizabeth Nguyen Son shares her experience of interning with Set In Paris in Paris, France.

Tell us a little bit about your background.

I was born in Paris, France with Vietnamese roots. I grew up in Milan, Italy and Singapore.

Which company/organization are you currently interning with?

I’m interning with Set in Paris, a movie location and themed tour company.

Where is your internship taking place?

I work in Paris, France.

When is your internship taking place?

Fall 2017

What is your job title?

Communications Intern

What types of responsibilities and/or tasks do you have in your internship? What's a typical day for you?

I start off a typical day greeting my boss and our resident puppy French bulldog, Louis. I then grab a café au lait and sit down with my boss to discuss what she would like to get done that day. Usually, on Monday, we go over what we want to accomplish that week. Because Set In Paris is a start-up, I fill in wherever I can even if it isn't related to Communications! It's a really great experience that contrasts with other (equally fantastic) internships in well established companies. I tend to make sure the website isn't bugging out and tend to our customers. Set In Paris is mainly a tourism company that specializes in movie tours around Paris and our office is a quirky and cozy café behind the Notre Dame, so it's not hard to stay busy!

What are the biggest challenges and successes you’ve experienced during your internship?

The biggest challenge was trying to figure out what my role was. I'm very used to having a set of responsibilities and working in a start-up requires a lot of multi-tasking. My biggest success is being able to consult my boss whenever she needs some input on press events, store decoration, redesigning the menu, redefining menu pricing and promotions, and so forth. I helped Set In Paris plan and prep for a huge press event they hosted for publications like Lonely Planet and Marie Claire!

What language(s) are you speaking/using in your internship?

I speak English with my boss, however my French comes in handy more often than you'd think!

Tell us about your future goals/aspirations. Is this internship relevant? Do you think it will help you along the way?

I wish to work in public relations in fashion and luxury after I graduate in May 2018. This internship was relevant because they needed help with their PR and marketing. It was also far from fashion and luxury which meant I had to polish up my PR skills to be able to succeed in a field (tourism and film) that I am not familiar with. I think in the long run, it will attest to my dedication to Communications and it has taught me to adapt to whatever task is given to me, even if it means a lot of Google-ing!

Anything else to share?

This internship was so different from what I expected it to be and it turned out to be really fruitful. I had other more supposedly "relevant" offers for internships that didn't feel right. I'm glad I followed my instincts because I think to be good at what you do, you need to grow outside of your comfort zone.