I entered the world of public relations in February 2009 and quickly discovered the job involved much more than just writing press releases.
My first job on the so-called “dark side” is with a consumer communications agency in Brisbane that takes care of a variety of brands, from small local retailers to major multinational corporations. The variety and challenging nature of the role was exactly what I was looking for.
While property is one of my main strengths, I work across a variety of accounts including retail, hospitality, technology and media. There is much I am still learning but the experience – albeit unanticipated – is incredible. Already in this short time I’ve been involved in much more than media relations. Brand development, crisis communications, marketing, event management, social media and copywriting are also required from clients.
I’m a bit of a tech geek so the emergence of social media in the publicity realm is quite exciting. A growing number of our clients are jumping on the web bandwagon and realising that reaching a digital audience requires more than a website. We’re exploring ways of promoting clients with blogs, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. It’s an emerging service but one that is definitely the way of the future.
Working in PR is also about collaboration and the team at my current agency is amazing. Throwing around ideas in our regular brainstorms is a delight, as well as hilarious. We are a young and dynamic group that shares an infectious passion for the industry.
If you had told me even two years ago that I’d wind up in PR, I might have laughed. However I’m loving every minute of it and think this is exactly where I should be. Despite its reputation, it’s not all champagne and air kisses – this is a demanding job that serves an important purpose when it comes to business.