Thirty days ago when I started my
internship at PPR – I set out in search of an answer to a question which has
plagued me since the beginning of my degree – ‘To be or not to be a PR
consultant?’ I am happy to report that after my finishing my last day at PPR on
Friday – I am now a whole lot closer to finding that answer.
The world of PR consultancy is an exciting
one to say the least with a multitude of clients that subsequently come with a
multitude of different projects, experiences, deadlines and demands. It is because of this versatility, that in
the past month at PPR, I have had the privilege and the opportunity of working
on a range of different projects for different clients. I find this versatility
to be a very attractive characteristic of working in consultancy and one that I
will attempt to explore more when I begin my search for employment in July. Having said that, there is still a large part
of me that is curious about working in corporate PR and I think that I will
need to experience this before I can confidently choose the path that appeals
to me the most. Have any of you ever had experience working in both fields? And
if so, which one do you prefer?
As I write this, I can’t help but also
smile at the fact that in only 20 working days, I can say that I have done
everything from media clippings, reports and releases through to invitation
drops, research, phone interviews and writing for some of PPR’s professional
publications. When regarding the writing
I have done in particular, three pieces of my work were officially published in
my last two days at PPR – which I think was such a great way to end what I
would definitely call a great internship!
One of these pieces of writing was a media
release entitled ‘Dalwalinu Channels Its Own Rottnest Swim’, which was
published in a regional WA newspaper that you can read here. As some of you would know, that feeling that
you get when your work is published in a public space is like nothing else and
has certainly given me the confidence and self-assurance that I need to believe
in myself as a professional writer and PR practitioner.
Another thing that I have learnt throughout
my time at PPR is that though Uni definitely has its place in teaching us the fundamentals
skills required in the PR industry, there is still nothing quite like applying
and refining these skills in a real working environment. I am thankful for the
opportunity that PR Professional Practice 393 has given me in this regard as I
have been able to use what I have learnt and expand on what I have learnt in
all my classes in a way that I believe will serve me well when I graduate and
begin my career.
Thanks everyone for following my updates
over the past month and it's been wonderful reading all of yours. Though these
entries have been useful for reflecting on my own experiences, I’ve also learnt
a lot about other aspects of the industry through reading yours. I wish you
guys all the best in the remainder of your internship and your degrees, and best
of luck in your careers.
