From Classroom to Office – Stepping into PR

Just like many high school graduates, I was pretty clueless about what career path to take. It took me months of confusion, chats with career advisors, and reading tons of articles to finally settle on marketing. I mean, marketing sounded all fancy, and everyone said it was the future, so who could blame me for picking that, right?

Fast forward to starting university in a new country, I was taking my core marketing classes and some electives. Now, here’s where things got interesting – I decided to take a few communication electives because my friends were doing it and I had the fear of missing out. And guess what? I ended up loving those communications classes more than my marketing ones. The assignments, the classes, everything about comms had me fascinated.

One day, while sitting in a marketing class, I was doodling away (sorry Mom and Dad), and it hit me – why not turn my newfound interest in comms, or even PR, into a career? But here’s the twist – I didn’t want to give up marketing altogether. So, I did what any curious soul would do – I started researching. And you know what I found out? Marketing and PR aren’t enemies; they’re like the dynamic duo of brand communication.

With this newfound passion, I decided to dive headfirst into the world of PR internships. I started applying, and let me tell you, walking into that first PR office felt like entering a whole new universe. People were tossing around fancy terms like ‘coverage sweeps’ and ‘media tracker,’ and meanwhile I was thinking, “How do I change the email signature in Outlook?” But, lucky me, I had an awesome team to guide me. Shoutout to them! They patiently answered all my questions (okay, maybe a few too many, but hey, that’s how you learn).

Working there made me feel good about my career choice, even though self-doubt tried to sneak in at times. But here’s the thing – the more I stumbled, the more I learned. And boy, did I stumble. I made mistakes, a lot of mistakes, I am sure my manager can testify for the same. Some were so silly that I wanted to hide in the ladies’ room and never come out. But I figured out that PR isn’t about knowing everything from the get-go; it’s about being adaptable and learning on the way. Even though I had to learn a whole new language in PR, my marketing background helped me bridge the gap.

So, here’s the deal – I’m thrilled that I took that leap into the world of PR. As I type this blog post, I can’t help but laugh at my journey from marketing to PR. It’s been a wild ride filled with hilarious mishaps, steep learning curves, and unforgettable experiences. And you know what? I wouldn’t change a thing. Why would I? I’m winning awards for my work, working with renowned PR agencies (sorry for the subtle brag), and living the dream of the glamorous PR industry. Seriously, no one does glamour better than PR. Although a heads-up about the need for a wardrobe upgrade before entering the industry would’ve been nice, I’m not complaining.

So, here’s to all the students out there who might be thinking about taking that leap into a different field. Embrace the chaos, laugh at your blunders, and don’t be afraid to jump into a different world rather than regretting later. Who knows, you might just find your true calling like I did – in the delightful chaos of public relations. Here’s to the laughter, the lessons, and the serendipity of life’s quirkiest adventures! Cheers!

 

By – Aditi Tewari, Intern at PRCA MENA