In business

This Christmas I undertook work experience at a PR company in Cambridge and I can honestly say that it was the one of the most valuable experiences I have ever had. I was so keen to see how a PR consultancy runs day to day and demonstrate the skills that I had been learning everyday while at university.

When I arrived on my first day, I was surprisingly calm. I was early and had time to sit in the car, take a few deep breaths before entering the office. My initial thought was how colourful the walls were with magazine and newspaper cuttings that demonstrated their influence in the media and I was instantly excited to get started! When I met the team that I would be working with, I was surprised at how young everyone seemed to be and how comfortable they were in their surroundings.

I was instantly put to work and had to do some research into local Cambridge shops and businesses that would be interested in being invited to a monthly networking party that the company was organising. I then had to call around all the shops and businesses, which taught me a lot about using the phone!

I also did a lot of newspaper coverage. I had to find relevant sections out of newspapers to do with music and small businesses. Although this task was tedious it defiantly taught me a lot about all the different newspapers and what sections they feature, which is so important when working in PR and trying to get coverage.

I was also responsible for putting together some press releases, and after my first few attempts I really got the hang of the format and the right type of language. It was also great to see some of my press releases online and in papers which I found really exciting.

Now, I cannot wait to get out into the working world! I made so many great friends at the company, most of which I’m still in contact with now. It’s made up my mind that I defiantly want to do a year in industry in year three because learning about PR is all very well, however, the experience cannot be beaten.