Summer in the city – thoughts from a work experience student
in News, PR Careers
With A Level results out, it’s the time of year when ‘the future’ becomes all too real for young people. At just 18 years old, it’s a pivotal point in their lives, that will have a huge influence over their future plans. At Reflection PR, we regularly welcome students on work experience to give them a taste of working in public relations and communications. Jess joined us earlier this summer – here’s her take on the week she spent with us.
“There is a general misconception surrounding work experience placements that they consist of merely making coffees and not truly learning about the field of work.
Happily that was not remotely the case during my time at Reflection PR. It was an invaluable opportunity which has provided me with a vast array of new skills, having carried out a wide variety of relevant tasks, all of which can be applied to almost any career.
I was given clear guidance for all these new tasks which increased both my confidence and understanding within the field. During the week I had to overcome multiple problems (often involving detailed research) by improving my organisation and communication skills within the workplace. I found this the most challenging aspect of PR because it was imperative that I was thorough with my research and that I gathered information by exploring a wide range of resources.
A lot of strategic planning and good time management was an essential element of my experience, for example, these skills were required when helping to prepare for the annual summer party event.
One of my favourite jobs was monitoring the social media coverage for a new fine dining Indian restaurant which, as with coverage for other clients, involved good use of technology and maintaining an international mind-set.
The world of PR is very intriguing because of the diversity in responsibilities it offers, so I look forward to exploring it further in the future. Moreover, even if I choose to pursue a different career path, this experience will remain very beneficial as my first taste of a working office environment.”
For our part, Jess was an absolute pleasure to have on the team. Her work was thorough and accurate, and she came up with some great creative ideas. We wish her all the best with her future career choices!
