The end of my internship... and the start of my new job!

Hi guys,

This is my fifth and final blog post. I'd like to think this is more of an overall reflection of my twenty days of placement overall.

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, my internship came to an end last week. Twenty days spread over 5 months was a significant, challenging, but very valuable experience for me. I believe the PR internship unit has probably been the most valuable unit I have undertaken during my undergraduate degree and would recommend it highly to all future PR students.

Here are some of the most significant efforts I have contributed to my PR placement:

• Assisting in and being part of the development of 5 events facilitated by the City of Swan with the help of skills and techniques learnt throughout my PR degree. 
• Writing up social media content for these events and more.
• Communicating with internal and external stakeholders of the department.
• Updating and expanding the departments extensive and detailed media list.
• Creating a social media content schedule to be followed by the PR and marketing department for 2016. 

I believe my placement has also provided me with some amazing things too!

• I have developed my skills in communication
• I have experienced working in a real PR office environment 
• I have observed real issues-management and gained knowledge from the experience
• I have developed knowledge in marketing, in the WA tourism sector and in events management
• Finally, I have been offered a paid job in the PR department as a result of the valuable work I have done so far!!

I am so excited to begin my job at the City of Swan. I cannot wait to learn more about the PR industry and build my CV thanks to this amazing opportunity!

Question: What has been the most valuable experience of your PR placement?

Thank you to those of you who have engaged in my blog posts so far. I wish you all the best of luck in your internships!

Greta J

Conquering new (and old) technology!

Hi guys

I have now finished my placement at the City of Swan. Reflecting on my journey, I realise I learnt so many new things along the way. Some of the most poignant learning experiences for me involved learning new (or old) technology. As emerging PR officers in a technological age, I think its so crucial for us to be able to use all forms of technology relevant to our work - whether they are ancient or brand new!

Here are a couple of learning experiences had during the course of my placement. Don't laugh at me for having been so naive!

The Fax Machine
One afternoon, my supervisor asked me to fax an important piece of communication to one of our stakeholders. I was horrified. I had never sent a fax in my life and had no idea where the fax machine was, let alone how to use it. I acted very confident, but inside I was dying. 

Where was the fax machine? 
What did it look like? 
Who uses faxes anymore?

I looked over at the phone on my desk. Was it a fax machine? While nobody was looking, I flipped it around to see if it had a fax button. It did not. It was just a phone.

I walked to the printer room and eventually found the fax machine, all alone, in the corner. Despite googling "how do I use a fax machine?" I was clueless. Eventually, I walked back into my office with my head hung in shame and confessed I couldn't use the fax machine. To my relief, I discovered that nobody else knew how to use it either. Luckily, someone offered to help me send the fax. It was a funny learning experience for us both.

As a solution to my problem, I thought it best to send a photocopy of fax material via email as a back up. In all communication situations, it is important to ensure the message is received. So if a form of communication is uncertain, it is best to have all bases covered just in case. 

They say that successful PR officers and media professionals must be efficient in multiple ways. While this has a heavy focus on new technologies, I also think it is a relevant thing to consider with the old ones!

Microsoft Excel
Before my internship, I actually had never used Microsoft Excel in my life. I wrongly assumed it was a useless maths-thing, and was never taught how to use it in school either. Safe to say, when I entered my placement, I never in my wildest dreams thought I would need to use Excel. 

I was wrong.

Some of the most important projects I did during my internship were with Excel. Excel is commonly used in offices to create lists, store details and create organisational documents. In a PR context, Excel may be used to draw up media lists and store media data; draw up a comprehensive RSVP list for an event, or create social media content posting schedule. I did all these things and so much more with Excel!

Excel is something I still really struggle with. I don't understand how to use it effectively, so every day I use it is a new learning curve. Nevertheless, I now know it is an essential application in just about any PR organisation. It should be basic knowledge for all future PR officers!

Question: Has anyone else had an amusing learning curve with technology to share?

Handling PR disasters and issues

Hello everyone

I thought it would be interesting for my third blog post to detail some challenges and disasters I have seen unfold before me at my PR internship. Perhaps this will be an entertaining read for you, and you might like to share a comment or two about your own experiences.

In PR, there are many possible issues, and potential crises that can arise in a workplace. We have learnt, through our university education, that there are specific step-by-step processes are put in place to prevent the disaster from happening in the first place, to manage it has it happens, and to cope with the effects afterwards.

I've found sometimes the structured protocols of issues management fly out the window when a challenge is happening, and happening fast.

I have also discussed how they were handled, or how they could have been prevented:

Last minute cancellations to an event
While it is extremely inconsiderate to change ones RSVP a couple of hours before an important event, it does happen. The effect of last minute cancellations can spell disaster, especially if the event relies on as many numbers as possible.
Unfortunately a situation like this did happen at my work placement within hours of an event commencing. While it did not affect the day, it did leave the organiser/host stressed and anxious. I feel like this could have been avoided.
Here are some ideas which may have prevented this from happening, or at least from having a negative impact on the day.

• On the original invite, specify a certain amount of "notice" required, or a deadline, to change ones RSVP; allowing PR officers to make changes and adaptions if need be. Of course, there are special circumstances that cannot be avoided and this must be considered. 
• Have some sort of forum, where staff can keep track of attendees, and regularly update the information about the upcoming event to ensure people remain interested and do not forget about it. One way this can be done is through Facebook events. 
• Contact guests to monitor their RSVP, without being intrusive. Sometimes, for example, venues call their reservation guests to ensure they are still attending their reservation, as well as to give them a gentle reminder in case they forgot. Perhaps one phone call or email a week before the event to all guests would be sufficient, especially if invites were sent out long before that. Most guests would appreciate the courtesy call. It is important to make sure all guest details are accurate!
• Do not panic if there ARE last minute cancellations on the day! The remaining guests will notice if the host is panicking or nervous, and this will affect the vibe of the event. 
• Contact the venue if numbers drastically change. The worst look is when an event venue has allocated too many tables or too much space for a smaller number of people. Venues will often be preparing for the event all day and will be able to adapt to changes in numbers. 

A very important media release leak 
My workplace was planning to release an announcement in regards to an upcoming event, which was leaked by a mysterious person in the department. The PR staff only found out when they received an unexpected media enquiry. Safe to say, the office was tense the next day.

In this sort of situation, it is absolutely crucial for all members of staff are completely aware of the protocols of releasing information, especially press releases, to the media. In many organisations, there is a dedicated officer who releases all statements to the media. While this system has always been in place, the person who leaked the document did not know about these protocols.

In hindsight, I would have:

• Had a meeting with the PR department and refresh on the protocols of training and ensure everyone is on the same page.
• Request feedback on the protocols and judge whether they need amending. It is important for all staff members to be involved.
• Send an email across the whole organisation regarding the media communication protocols, to ensure it is understood across all divisions.
• ensure the person who incorrectly released the statement to the media is well informed of what the protocols are for the future.

Its important to quickly deal with the issue if its too late for prevention. Unfortunately, staff had to respond to the media enquiries earlier than anticipated. Good communication is absolutely essential in this situation. Staff had to be sure to communicate the exact facts of the release and make sure the media knew all the correct details, rather than basing their stories on the draft which was accidentally released.

Here is a question! Have you witnessed or experienced a PR issue or disaster at your internship, and if so, how was it dealt with?

I look forward to a comment or two!

Til next time,

Greta Jasiak (17059387)

Finding that work-life balance

Hello fellow PR interns,

This marks the second post I have written in regards to my internship at the City of Swan.

I am over halfway through my internship, and there is so much for me to write about. I want to share both positive and negative aspects of my internship experience so far, and would love to hear what you think, and whether you can relate.

I have loved my time in the City of Swan's PR and Marketing department. Working in the tourism sector has been a fascinating and exciting experience, and I have been lucky to have been a part of some significant projects so far.

Today was the Swan Valley's Corporate Open Day, an event organised by our department at the City of Swan. It is a tourism-based initiative designed to enlighten Perth businesses about the incredible opportunities for corporate functions, events and activities in the Swan Valley. The day was comprised of a tour which took attendees around to numerous businesses in the Valley, giving guests the opportunity to see the beautiful venues themselves, and sample their finest food and wine. Finally, there was a networking evening, where these guests and others were brought together at Mulberry on Swan where some of the Swan Valleys most exciting corporate activities were on display, as well as a vast range of information to be shared.

This was an exciting project to be a part of beforehand, and during. I was involved with writing the itinerary, writing up social media posts linked to the event, creating gift bags, communicating with attendees, and attending the event itself. It was a fantastic marketing and public relations event, and I am proud of my involvement.

Event involvement has been one of the most positive aspects of my time at Swan. I have been able to get immersed in events as they happen, and network with stakeholders of the City of Swan and the Swan Valley businesses they represent. I have also been able to have a role in important aspects behind the scenes, which has made my feel extremely valued.

The negative aspect of my experience is something I'm sure other students who work and study full time, aside from their internship, will experience. I only attend my work experience 2 days a week, and have done so since June. I have lived a busy life in this time. I have gone on holiday, worked, and been sick in this time; so inevitably, I have missed some weeks altogether. Thus, my internship has been spread out extensively.

The issue is, each week when I come into the office, sometimes after having been away for 7 days or more, things have dramatically changed. That is the nature of a fast paced industry like PR. I find the important things I was working on in one week become a distant priority, and completely different tasks emerge for me to undertake the next week. Sometimes it becomes overwhelming when I have to completely adapt to a new focus, and shift my priorities entirely. I have just come to accept this as an inevitable result of having a hectic and busy life! Luckily for me, my supervisor is extremely patient and simply grateful for my help in any way!

So I pose a couple of questions: does trying to fit in an internship on a busy schedule affect the actual flow of your internship at all? How do you guys cope with being interns whilst also trying to study and work?

Til next time!

Greta

Entering the daunting, real working world of PR... wasn't so bad after all.

Hello all,

This blog post is a reflection on my very first week as a PR intern. Actually, make that my first time doing work experience anywhere!

Even as a third year university-level PR student, I constantly struggle with confidence, especially in putting my PR knowledge into professional practice, outside of a university context. Thus, beginning my PR internship in a real-life, pumping PR and marketing department was a daunting task.

My application to intern at the City of Swan's PR and Marketing department was a success, and it was decided that I would work at the office two days a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays), to assist them with their tourism projects under the scope of marketing and PR. To prepare myself, I had a read of the City of Swan's media kit for the Swan Valley. In hindsight, it definitely helped my for the next two weeks ahead. It helped me gain an insight to the City's key points it wants to bring to the attention of the media. For example, the fact that it's Australia's first Humane Food region!

After meeting with my supervisors in early May, I began my internship on Tuesday 26 May, 2015.

My first day was exciting and full-on! I got straight into a number of tasks. It was clear that my supervisors had confidence in me which, in turn, made me more confident. The biggest focus of the day was finding target media for one of the City's biggest tourism projects, where they will be involving a major international media market in a huge tour of the Swan Valley. It's an exciting project to be involved in. This task totally opened my eyes to the vast array of food and wine and lifestyle media around the globe and in Australia. It also helped me to get smart about how to hunt for this very specific sort of media on the internet.

I have quickly come to understand that many local governments have tight budgets, which means marketing and PR are often combined into the one department. Perhaps this may cause conflicts of interest or ethical issues. Are we trying to sell the businesses? Or connect the local Government with local businesses and other key stakeholders and create a great relationship and sense of communication? In my opinion, its a bit of both.

My second day interning at the City of Swan, on Thursday 28 May, was amazing. I was extremely lucky to be asked to accompany my supervisor on an industry tour of the Swan Valley. It was a brilliant community relations activity. Industry people from all over the Swan Valley, including representatives from the City of Swan, were taken on an informative tour of a bunch of businesses in the Valley. The idea was to connect neighbouring businesses, bring them all together and strengthen their relationships. With any luck, they would also recommend each other in complimentary ways to their own patrons, and just be more informed about the businesses around them and what they have to offer.

On one hand, this activity had a sales and marketing focus. For me, the challenge was to see past the clear marketing focuses. However, I did realise PR was also heavily involved. Especially in the way that it created communication between local government, local businesses and eventually the public. As a representative of the City of Swan, I was able to meet and communicate with local business owners who are key stakeholders to the City. During the day, I visited the Swan Valley Visitors Centre at the oldest courthouse in WA - situated in Guilford. From there, I visited Mandoon Estate, Whistlers Chocolate, Oakford Grounds, Mondo Nougat, Moorish Nuts, The Vines, The Cheese Barrel and Fig Tree Wines. A lovely perk was being able to sample some incredible local food and wine, and see how these local businesses were promoting the Humane Food Initiative.

Below is a photo of the amazing cheese boards we were offered by the Cheese Barrel. The Cheese Barrel pairs their platters with Neighbouring Olive Farm Wines; WA's oldest established winery. A great example of businesses working together! (The cheese was fantastic, BTW).

In hindsight, this day also was able to help me significantly in my upcoming PR activities for the City of Swan, which I will discuss in my upcoming posts.

Til next time,
Greta Jasiak (17059387)

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