From slippers to shoes: my first steps into the world of PR

The first non-stop week at Holyrood PR was the change in pace I needed

By Maddie Cassidy

MY LOCKDOWN FEATURED: attempting and failing to bake banana bread, getting weirdly obsessed with Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, and exclusively living in my worn-out pyjamas.

This was a lifestyle I unwillingly became accustomed to, so you could imagine my relief when the time came to start my internship at Holyrood PR, as well as my family’s relief that I would finally be out of my 2014 dishevelled Primark pyjamas.

My first week as flown by which is a hallmark of the fast-paced environment of the PR world. Being part of a workplace where people are hardworking and approachable has been reflected in my personal work. Thus far my internship has built my confidence in areas I would often shy away from, and has given me renewed impetus to get a task done to the best of my abilities.

It has been comforting having the team trust me with important tasks and guiding me through them, however long it takes. From writing up press releases for CALA Homes and Edinburgh First, to creating and planning a social media campaign for beloved ice cream giants Mackie’s of Scotland, the team have allowed me to work freely while aiding me through the process.

With the Holyrood PR team’s assistance, I have worked with a variety of different software and programmes which will come in handy in the future. By using editing software and websites on a daily basis, I’ve been able to amplify my workload and work more efficiently. I’ve particularly enjoyed coming to terms with Photoshop and Canva, which despite being challenging, are enjoyable and have produced great results.

As well as these tasks I was also given the opportunity to write success stories, create social media content, carry out market research, and learn to upload to the Holyrood PR website.

The invaluable skills I have learned in my first week alone will be lifelong. To be given this hands on experience in an industry I was unfamiliar with has given me a true taste of what it’s like working for an award-winning PR agency – which has only made me eagerly excited for the coming weeks.