By Natasha McGarrell
When I started PR, I was fresh out of university and very, very green. Here are 10 things I’ve learnt in my two-year journey from intern to senior account executive.
Sex and the City lied to us
Your life will be nothing like Samantha Jones’. Sure, there’ll be events, but you’ll spend the majority of them running around after everyone else, fiddling with the volume, clearing glasses, feeling a bit sweaty, and feeling nowhere near as glamorous as the guests or Samantha.
Your phone battery will be perpetually low
Get used to it because you’ll use your phone constantly throughout the day. If you don’t own a portable charger, do you really work in PR?
All black will become your new uniform
All black, all day, errday.
You’ll become a professional hassler
Not responding to email? Try phone. Try texting. Last resort, the Instagram DM.
To-do lists will become your new best friend
How else are you supposed to keep across your hundreds of tasks and meetings each week?
Journalists are time poor
These days, journos’ deadlines are tighter and they’re not just writing but also sub-editing, video editing, web coding, managing social media. The list goes on. The easier a PR can make a story for them, the more chance you’ll have of getting that story for your client. It’s win-win-win.
No image, no story
No matter how good the pitch, you can kiss that coverage goodbye without a good image.
You’ll work a lot
Be prepared to field questions from friends and family about why you’re constantly working.
You’ll love it
It’s hard work, but you’ll love coming in to work every day as no day is ever the same.