Interviewer: “So, what do you know about PR?”
Me: Okay, think, what do you know about PR? Why don’t I know this?
“Honestly, nothing.”
I followed with, “I hope I can better answer that question in a few weeks.”
Landing the illustrious internship was just the beginning, the next step was figuring out what I wanted from this internship: what skills do I want to acquire and will I forge a career in this industry? My intention was to approach tasks confidently, take initiative, absorb knowledge like a sponge and eventually try to understand the bigger picture.
It was easy to see Gallium was a special, unique agency from the start and I wanted to earn my place in the team. However, my first day showed me I needed direction and support and that’s exactly what I had over the months that followed. Fast-forward 2 months and I already feel like a valued member of the team with a range of new skills and knowledge that I didn’t realize I would acquire in such a short space of time. So, what did my internship entail? Instead of rolling through my ‘average’ day, I’ll outline all the tasks I do throughout a week at Gallium for those following in my footsteps.
Understanding the media landscape
One key way to fully immerse yourself in a product or service is tracking press coverage in order to fully grasp the media interest and story angles taken. It is this monitoring of news coverage which allows one to build up an understanding of both the relevant publications and the journalists that work there, granting knowledge of the most relevant titles for the various companies we work with and further insight into the ideal media and influencers.
Press coverage
The buzz that fills the office when an article goes live, leaving everyone bouncing off the walls with excitement, is better than that first morning coffee. It’s adrenaline filled moments like this which mean the media research, pitching and tracking have all been a success! It’s these times which are the most rewarding as it allows us to share the good news to the companies we work with in ways that make them smile.
Blog Writing
You are reading my first attempt at a blog post, tread lightly. Creating content that is informative, punchy, relevant and original is a difficult task and I’ve learnt every content creator has a certain style of writing that develops over time. The age old cliche, “practice makes perfect” rings true as writing is a skill you need to work on. I’m at the brainstorming stage, still trying to find my style!
Social Media
Social Media, you either love it or you hate it, but learning to use Twitter constructively from a PR perspective is a skill I’ll take with me through my career as this relates to both the PR professional and creatives campaigns.
If you’re someone like me, who enjoys being thrown into the deep end, Gallium is probably one of the best agencies you can join as it’s not strictly a PR agency but more of a fully integrated consultancy. The fast-paced, dynamic environment fosters quick learning and creativity and allows dabbling in multiple areas of the industry and the opportunity to be exposed to so many different opportunities.
I learnt that a lot of agency work is a bit of a juggling act and I really enjoyed the responsibility I was given, with the opportunity to feel like I was creating real value for the companies we work with. In fact, I have even secured top tier media coverage (a bit of industry lingo) which shows the level of training I have received at Gallium!
Let’s Go Back to the Beginning: What Do I Know About PR?
- PR is about helping businesses, both small and large get their products and services to the right audience in order to create sales and raise brand awareness.
- READ THE NEWS (seriously)
- Know the media, what to pitch them, and how to pitch them based on their interests.
- It’s about networking and making friends!
