 |
 |
|
 |
||
 |
   |
|
Career spotlight: Public Relations
1. What exactly is
PR?
Public
relations is a marketing tool, which uses a mixture of techniques and
communication channels including the media, word of mouth, events and
stakeholder management (influencing those that have a direct interest
in your business). It is a cost effective way of getting messages out
to the public and raising the profile of brands, campaigns and products.
2. How did you begin
your career?
I
had always wanted to do PR from university and started by doing
temporary work with Talk PR for Saatchi and Saatchi during London
Fashion week. I discovered that, although fashion wasn’t for me, I did
enjoy PR. I applied to a few PR agencies and joined Band & Brown
six years ago. I’ve ploughed my way up the ranks since then and I'm now
running a team of seven.
3. How does the
structure work?
Each
PR company is different but they all have their own levels, so there’s a
good progression route. You might start as an account assistant,
helping with administrative tasks for a large team, while account
executives have more client contact. Account managers basically run the
accounts and have day-to-day contact with the client, while account
directors are involved more with strategy and pitching for new
business. You must show that you have met the objectives at each level
before you can progress.
4. Who does PR suit?
You
need to be really organised, confident and hard-working. It’s a
creative industry and good for anyone who enjoys writing. It also helps
if you are a good communicator, so it's ideal for sociable people.
5. Can you achieve a
good work-life balance?
It’s
different in each agency. Here at B&B, we don’t like people working
late and you can work flexi-time. You do feel that you’re being pushed
but there’s not too much pressure: it’s really a work hard, play hard
culture.
6. What advice do
you have for anyone wanting a career in PR?
Try
to get work experience with different agencies, working on a range of
accounts. It really depends what you want to work on – whether you’re
more interested in politics, celebrities or the ability to change
people’s lives. The accounts are really what makes it what it is.
Visit Jobsite
to find job vacancies in PR or you can search for jobs within the wider
marketing field
here
Get Jobs-by-Email
Relevant Articles
Email a Friend
Think this article might be of interest to a friend or relative?
