Agency experience shines a light on the industry
By Caitlyn Dewar
COMING from a journalism background I felt a bit cynical crossing over to the ‘dark side’, but during my month with Holyrood PR I have been able to exercise my skills and pick up a few new ones along the way.
There are a lot of sweeping statements and myths about PR professionals, for example that they’re self-serving spin doctors and that they’re all just in it for the money, but not at this agency. Holyrood PR has dispelled those and shown me that the so-called dark side is not actually so dark at all.
What I like about the team here is that they truly incorporate their values and genuinely and simply do want to find great stories and tell them to the world. There’s journalistic integrity at the heart of it all which I think sets this agency apart.
As I look forward to my first day off in a month (I’ve been working part time alongside my internship), it’s a great time to reflect on what my time here has been like.
I’ve enjoyed studying for my Master’s, but it has been a bit of a relief to step away from the books and put what I’ve learned into practice.
My absolute highlight was undoubtedly seeing my story about 98-year-old Bield resident, writer, and overnight sensation Mr Glen hit the headlines. There is really no better warm and fuzzy feeling than seeing a story you created have a prominent spread across the papers.
I also had the opportunity to head out on a job with resident videographer, Seb, to interview an Edinburgh Historian and Human Rights Activist on some hard-hitting subjects, join a morning meeting with a prominent reporter and write about everything from cows in onesies to the Edinburgh property market – there really are no two days the same.
Alongside the fun stuff there has been a lot of valuable learning as well; I’ve seen how a PR agency runs; been able to adapt with changing workloads and priorities; seen how meetings and brainstorming sessions run and, most importantly, I’ve learnt how to navigate the sea of folders on the hard drive.
I feel confident leaving my internship with some solid examples of my work that have captured the attention of the press and a number of key PR contacts which I will no doubt call upon in the future as I make my way into the media world.
On a final note, if there is anyone out there unsure of where to start out in PR and looking for advice – I would always recommend right here.
