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intro.
After doing public relations and journalism at university for two years I chose to do a sandwich year before going into my last year of university and I was lucky enough to secure a place at Flaunt Digital as a Digital PR Intern. Although I studied PR at university I really had no idea at all about what the job would entail, therefore I came into the job last July with no expectations. Since then I have completely turned that around and can now say that I am very confident in many of the different aspects of digital PR and its role within SEO.
If you are like me and are hoping to start a career in PR but are not sure what that may look like I have listed below some key takeaways from my year in the industry at Flaunt Digital.
Knuckling Down On My Digital PR Skills
I had already studied PR for 2 years before taking on my placement, however, as soon as I came into the job I soon learnt that what you are taught at university is a significantly modified version of what PR actually is day to day. I have learnt so many different skills relating to Digital PR, from ideation for campaigns for clients, to writing newsworthy press releases, catchy press emails, and reporting back the results from campaigns.
As well as all the immediate PR skills, I have also immersed myself in some wider marketing areas such as influencer marketing and social media, where I have sourced influencers for campaigns and also helped out in writing social copy for a client.
Building a Professional Presence
One thing my university did teach me was the importance of having a good professional profile for career possibilities. However, what I have learnt during my placement is that it is also good to have a strong professional presence generally for getting into the industry, sharing your knowledge with others and getting your name out there for future opportunities.
At Flaunt, I have been encouraged to create my own professional profile, whether that’s posting on Linkedin or finding a niche that you are passionate about to build upon. Within my year at the agency, I have been to several networking events and talks to not only develop my knowledge but also meet like-minded people within the industry.
Agency Life
Another thing that I didn’t really know what to expect from my internship was working within a professional environment fresh out of university. Previous to joining Flaunt, I had only worked in an office environment once for work experience when I was still in school. So when I first started at Flaunt I was really nervous about how I would find office life.
However, on my first day, my opinion of working in an office completely changed. The atmosphere was chilled and friendly, everyone in there was genuinely happy and wanted to make me feel welcome. Another perk of my first day was a Deliveroo lunch that happens every first Monday of the month to go along with a winning meeting that celebrates the work happening in the agency!
Flaunt have flexible working hours which not only allows me to work at my most productive times, it also enables me to have time to do activities outside of work. This has really helped me settle into my role as it takes the stress out of getting to work as well as working things around generic office times.
As well as this, having regular work socials to get to know the rest of the team that I might not usually talk to has really helped boost my confidence in large group situations and make me feel like a valued member of the wider team.
My Top Tips And Takeaways
Overall my work placement in an agency and in PR has been great, the amount of experience gained before even leaving university is unmatched as well as obtaining real-world skills. But getting the most out of a placement year is definitely up to you. Some ways I have been able to get the most out of the year in the industry are:
Ask questions!
No one expects you to know anything about the industry and knows you are there to learn therefore no questions are silly questions. If anything it makes you look more eager to be a part of something if you are asking questions.
Don’t be afraid to give your opinions
A great thing about my internship at Flaunt is being able to join in on brainstorms. It has definitely taken me time to get the confidence to even speak in them but knowing how supportive people are when you do makes this a lot easier. Giving your opinion is so important as not only is it great to hear a wide range of thoughts but just because you don’t have as much experience doesn’t mean you don’t have opinions on matters.
Be collaborative in setting your own goals
At the end of the day, an internship is a time for you to get real-life experience in an industry you are interested in. Therefore you need to be hands-on in what you want to get out of it in the end. A great way to do this is by collaborating with your line manager on the goals that you want to achieve throughout your time as an intern.
Say Yes To Different Opportunities
Saying yes to doing different aspects of the job is a great way to learn and find out what you enjoy the most. During my time at Flaunt, I have worked alongside the team working with influencers and working on a client’s social media account both of which are something I hadn’t ever done before but have enjoyed doing. As well as this saying yes to going to different events has helped me grow in confidence and knowledge of the industry.
To find out more about the opportunities at Flaunt visit our careers page, as well as following us on Linkedin, Instagram and Twitter.
