Hey all! You may remember me as the girl who is only starting to blog AFTER she has finished her placement...
Well I am back with my second instalment- starting work and compiling my media contacts... YAY!
I started my placement with one week full time, and then I planned to just do one or two days a week for the rest of semester as my time table and Sascha’s (my boss’) timetable weren’t the most compatible! (Note to self- don’t learn Chinese at uni- the contact hours are ridiculous!)
Anyway my first week started with me sitting at a small desk in the middle of Sascha’s office, being given a sheet of paper with all of the things that I would be doing during my placements! I was a wee bit overwhelmed but very excited at the number and range of things I was going to be able to do! There were things like contacts list- easy I thought, I just did an amazing contact list for PR media, how hard can that be; also I was going to be in charge of the PR campaign for food in the Swan Valley- awesome I thought! I will just visit a few places... try some of their food... maybe write some things about it. WONDERFUL!
Not so much. First of all Sascha asked me to quickly write a media release about an upcoming polo event. AHHHHH I couldn’t remember the correct format for a media release, what did she want me to write? What was I going to do? I was slightly fretted, but after about 5 attempts I had finally written something that Sascha was happy with in a correct format. Phew! I resolved to go home that night and review my PR techniques folder!
The rest of the week was wonderful though. I uploaded lots of upcoming events onto the internet, something Sascha wasn’t so comfortable with, and I quietly worked on my media contacts.
May I say that I have consistently been working on the poxy contact list for my entire placement, Sascha is forever forwarding me people to add or update (some are still un-categorised, for example, I wasn’t too sure how to categorise a friend at the AMA). I am still hearing back from people I emailed at the start of my placement in February about their contact details! But besides a few mistakes I think I have a fairly nice media contact list, well for food and travel writers as well!
End of story two.
Moral of story two... review your PR techniques prior to your first day so you aren’t madly looking for correct media release format on the internet while no one if looking. And be prepared for your contact list to be an ongoing process, that you will love and hate in equal parts.
Robyn
xxx
2 comments:
Your comment on the 'poxy' contact list made me laugh, as it is something I can really relate to.
My boss is forever forwarding me names and phone numbers of people to add to our databases. I probably have about 10 different lists on the go at any one time. Sometimes it seems like a waste of effort but then out of nowhere I'll suddenly need to reach someone and it's comforting to know I have my lists waiting for me.
The biggest problem I find isn't so much creating the list - but ensuring that it remains up to date. People are always changing phone numbers and emails etc and it can be a real pain trying to keep up.
Good tip about the revision of proper PR techniques, I haven't really thought about that before.
I look forward to reading your next blog!
Wow that sounds exciting but definitely stressful at the same time. I think we can all relate to that stressed feeling during prac as while we have finished our Public Relations studies at uni, now are thrown into the real world, being given real tasks and have to finish them promptly all while trying to make a good impression.
I know exactly what you mean when you said that you were shown the list of things you were to complete over the duration of your prac and were excited and little overwhelmed and then all of a sudden you're given jobs. I experienced the same thing. The first morning of my prac, I walked around the office meeting everyone and hearing what each of them do and what they're in charge of and was told I'd spend a bit of time with each. I thought I would spend a day with one and day with another but no I was spending half a morning with one, the rest of the morning with another and the afternoon with another. Before you know it you're into the full swing of it.
I too look forward to your next post.
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