Good news, everybody!

This is my last blog post for PR393, so I thought pretty hard about what I wanted to say. I was going to end with a few pearls of wisdom; some do's and dont's of the consultancy world from my experience; my top tips for getting through a month of real work when you're used to sleeping all day and scraping by with credits.

I'd even written a draft.

That all changed at 9am yesterday, so instead of wise words, I'm going to leave you with a story. It begins at the PPR office in Subiaco at 6pm two Fridays ago.

Friday July 29, 6pm:

I was on my way out of the office after my last Friday drinks, having said goodbye to the people who had been my colleagues for the last month. I decided to stop in a Peter Harris' office, even though I'd only properly met him a few hours beforehand (he'd been on holiday for three weeks then playing catch-up when he got back).

I caught him just as he was shutting down for the night so we chatted as we walked to the reception area. He thanked me for my month's work and I thanked him for the opportunity, all of which seemed pretty standard.

Then he mentioned one of the Senior Consultants had made special effort to go to his office and tell him how impressed she was by my work, which in itself is an amazing accolade. When he told me he was willing to work out a one-day-a-week work experience deal with me "if I wanted it," I jumped at the chance. We agreed that he would work out if there was work and a desk for me and I would call him in a week or so.

Monday August 8, 9am:

At 9am on the dot, my phone rang and woke me up. It was a blocked number, meaning it was either PPR or a telemarketer. I took my chances, put on my faux-awake voice and answered.

On the other end was a very busy sounding Peter Harris. Then again, he always sounds very busy. He told me "things have changed" since I left, so I expected him to tell me the opportunity was no longer there; I was fine with that, like I said the acknowledgement in itself was enough.

He then offered me the ideal opportunity. He said there was a position available three days a week, paid, until the end of Perth Fashion Festival.

He wanted me to take on a Junior Consultant role for the PFF on a part-time basis.

Naturally I accepted the offer without the slightest hesitation, and am now officially an employee (well, short-term contractor) for Professional Public Relations. This, combined with booking my first proper holiday in a couple of years made yesterday probably the best Monday I could have had.

The Lesson:

I guess the lesson in this is to just do what you do. I worked hard, like I do at Uni. I socialised, like I do at Uni. By being there, doing what was asked at the highest standard I could and constantly reminding everyone how keen I was for more work, I suppose I made a good impression.

Part of it was luck; in the work I was doing, the timing of PFF and the fact that I have two days of classes a week. Part of it was working hard and proving I'm capable, something they obviously saw.

Either way I'm incredibly grateful for this chance, but now I have to end because I start tomorrow morning with a product drop to Dianella before 8.45am.

I wish everyone the same good fortune I had, and remember to work hard!

I'll probably see you all this semester, and if not best of luck for the tail end of your degrees. If you want to chat more, find me on LinkedIn, follow @momo_mjr on Twitter, or find me on Facebook.

- Morgan Riley