New Beginnings: Navigating Your First Week in PR
Written by Adam Stanworth, Account Executive at Source PR.
Having completed my first week as an Account Executive at Source PR, I decided to take the time to reflect on navigating the initial few days of my new role.
Background
In her previous blog Jess Pardoe noted that there are myriad ways in which you can enter public relations. Whether you have built up a successful personal blog that showcases your talent or come clutching a degree in a related topic, each avenue is just as valid. My personal path towards a career in PR began at the University of Sheffield where I studied for a degree in history and politics before staying in South Yorkshire to complete a master’s degree in journalism. The degree was a brilliant experience and it helped me to clarify what it was that I wanted to do with myself after the student days were over.
While traditional journalism wasn’t the industry for me, PR and communications certainly was, and during the course I had harboured a real desire to enter the field. To further my ambitions, I took on an internship at Manchester-based sports agency Ear to the Ground where I found that I enjoyed the dynamics of working in an agency, as well as the opportunities for creativity. Following my internship, I worked in retail as a means of income while job hunting, which in itself was not without its challenges due to the numerous near-misses and rejections. However, after coming across the opportunity to join Source as an Account Executive, I did not hesitate in applying. After meeting the team over Zoom initially, we then met up in person and I quickly realised that I thought I’d fit in well. Much to my delight, Source thought so too and I was offered the job, which I wasted no time in accepting.
Working in an Agency
One of the best things about working in an agency has been that each day is entirely different to the last and with an array of brilliant clients, you quickly become an expert in a variety of industries. I’ve never worked ‘in-house’, but the variety aspect of agency life is something I’ve found to be particularly enjoyable so far. I would absolutely encourage all those looking at a career in PR to consider an agency as an option because the diversity of tasks you can take on makes the prospect of coming into work an exciting one.
Getting to Grips with B2B
Source’s B2B team is expanding and it’s an exciting time to be a part of it. B2B is a crucial aspect of the business and with a host of recent client wins, it’s important that we meet a growing demand. So that I could get up to speed as quickly as possible, it was essential that I took the time to really understand the nature of our client’s operations and their ambitions. Getting to know the clients is an essential step as from here, you can begin to become their mouthpiece, whether that is through a blog or social post.
Socials
One of my key tasks during my first week at Source has been to construct social posts for some of our clients. Social media is such an important tool when it comes to promoting your business and having a presence on these platforms is now a necessity rather than a choice. However, it is detrimental to the business if you’re not using it wisely and constructing the social posts so that they send out the right message is a key part of my role. After finalising the copy, it is then about choosing right hashtags and scheduling times, as these aspects are vital in helping posts to travel as widely as possible. I’ve also got stuck into writing a variety of blog posts, press releases and sat in on client meetings and team briefings.
Final Thoughts
Although I have only been here for a short time, I’m loving my new role. The support from my colleagues and the aforementioned variety means I look forward to each day and relish tackling all manner of tasks. The endeavour to produce the best service for our clients is infectious at Source, so it’s impossible not to be passionate about our work.
If you’re interested in a role with us, get in touch at: hello@sourcepr.co.uk
