By Amy Catherall
University can only prepare you so much for the transition into work once you have graduated, but are you really ready to be thrown straight into the real world without any prior experience of the industry you want to go into?
There is only so much you can learn from lectures about the real world of public relations, but by getting to experience it all firsthand at Jennie Holland PR, I have built my confidence for when I am ready to start my PR journey.
Being involved with every aspect of the company, from sitting in on client meetings, collaborating on ideas for social media, researching opportunities for clients, digital media creation, and contact research, has allowed me to see how a real business functions and I’ve learned the importance of time management and teamwork to balance tasks to meet the needs of the clients.
Working with a range of clients from different industries has allowed me to see how strategies can bolster the presence of brands within different industries.
What I have learned during my time at Jennie Holland PR
- Working as a team and supporting each other is essential in PR. Collaborative thinking to help one another ensures that clients receive the best service possible.
- Research is key to finding your clients the best opportunities – ensuring media coverage and interview opportunities are secured, which will be beneficial to boost profiles both locally and nationally.
- Every client has different needs. Content creation will need to be geared to target media and audiences and every brand has a different tone of voice and requirements for writing styles to fit their image – so research of the client and its objectives are vital.
- PR is harder than you think! There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes and managing your time correctly helps to balance all your tasks. It all pays off when your client is getting opportunities and growing as a result.
The highlight of my experience was getting to research and write a blog post on the Barbie movie and its effect on the marketing and press of multiple brands.
This allowed me to experience the pride you get in seeing the results of something you have worked hard for. The process of writing and designing the post and then creating social media content, allowed me to put all the skills I have developed further during my time at JHPR to practice.
My three weeks went by in a flash, and I enjoyed every second. I learnt so much from the team at JHPR that I will take away and use to benefit my studies. Everyone in the team has made me feel welcome and been willing to help and support me ensuring I had the best experience possible.
For anyone scared or unsure of finding work experience because they are unsure what to say, worried they won’t get a response, or are feeling nervous about going into an office, don’t be. I was worried about so many things, and I had the most amazing experience with JHPR. I’ve gained the confidence to be able to go into the real world after university and find myself a job working in PR.