From home vegetable gardens to vast wind farms – a quick look at the PR agency life

NEW INTERN’S INSIGHT INTO THE EVER-CHANGING WORLD OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

By Angelika Muzyka

IF you are looking to work in a dynamic environment, where no day is the same as the previous one, PR is definitely for you.

As a Public Relations graduate, I thought I knew quite a lot about the industry in theory, but this experience has opened my eyes so much wider.

I have only just finished my first week at Holyrood PR, but the one thing I can definitively say about it is that it was anything but slow and boring. In fact, it honestly feels like I have been here for much longer than just a week.

This might be partly due to the fact that from the get-go I have been thrown into a whirlwind of different tasks and challenges, but beyond the significant work load I think it was mostly because of the team, who quickly made me feel at home.

As soon as you walk into the Holyrood PR office you can feel the positive atmosphere. All nervous and shaky, I was greeted by Cat who with her big smile managed to calm me down straight away. She showed me around the office, introduced me to everyone, and then just like that, I was at my new desk cracking on with my first task of completing a newspaper sweep. Sitting down with a list of clients and looking for stories that could be of interest to them was a great way of getting accustomed to all of the different accounts the company manages.

By the time I’ve finished my newspaper sweep, I think I must have had about five teas. Don’t get me wrong, I love tea, but the office environment definitely brings out a whole new level of tea-cravings in me. It’s better to not count them. Especially when you’re the only person other than Katie who likes their sugary “baby tea”. Please don’t judge me. Anyway, the team members all look out for each other and make sure that they complete their fair share of hot drink runs, so I made sure I got involved straight away.

The large variety of different clients may seem a bit scary at first, but believe me, it makes the job so much more interesting. One day, I went from writing a press release on an up-coming Banks Renewables wind farm to phoning a Bield care home to ask about their tenants’ vegetable gardens.

Another interesting task I was assigned with was filling out the weekly social media planner for Eagle Couriers and uploading content on to the Holyrood PR website while building my knowledge on SEO.

I also finally got a chance to brush up on my rusty Photoshop skills by creating multiple coverage montage collages for clients such as Banks Renewables, Bell Ingram and Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC).

Last, but not least, I was trusted with drafting up press releases about a skydiving fundraiser for the ECHC and a new property on the market for Warners. As well as that, I wrote a blog post on the art of a homebuyer’s “begging letter” for Warners. Look it up, it’s a great idea. I know I was intrigued.

Handing your drafts to more experienced professionals may be quite stressful, but don’t worry about being perfect. The team was amazing at providing me with useful feedback and definitely helped me to boost my confidence.

The diversity of tasks combined with the openness of the team really make you feel like you are more than just an intern. Every day is different and I know that my contribution is being valued.

To round up, my first week at Holyrood PR was as eventful as it was enjoyable and I am really looking forward to the rest of my internship.

One thing that I have to say though: check lists are a must! Jobs pop out of nowhere all the time, so it is important to keep yourself on track.