When I first started at Headland as a trainee in September, there were so many questions whizzing about my head, “What on earth have got myself into?” being the most obvious. Other people had questions for me too, “why did you choose PR?” and “why did you choose Headland?”.
Studying politics, PR had been one of a few industries where my degree felt remotely relevant, so I resolved to search for internships and experiences, even though I still wasn’t entirely sure what PR meant. This seems to be the case for most of my fellow trainees. We all have a range of different educational backgrounds and work experiences and seem to have fallen into this career (which I didn’t even know existed an embarrassingly short time ago!).
But after some time reflecting on my journey to this position and having enjoyed every second of my first job so far, I have some thoughts to share on why I think PR and Headland have been the perfect start to my career.
Why I chose PR
It’s stimulating
When I left university, I was worried that the world of work would be less stimulating than my studies. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Underlying everything a PR agency does are big questions on how people talk about the world and their place within it. How can you tell a story that truly engages someone? How are people interacting with news online? What does this mean for media relations? How do you change the conversation about a topic causing reputational challenge? These are the big questions PR professionals must tackle in everything they do. All far more stimulating than my university lectures.
No day is the same
Just as a newspaper never runs identical headlines, or social media is constantly jumping on new trends, in PR every day there is a new challenge to be solved or opportunity to be seized. There’s the chance for insight across a range of different industries. My clients so far have included a pipe manufacturing company, a coffee-pod recycling scheme, an accountancy and audit firm and a social media giant. I’m interacting daily with a range of people from incredibly diverse backgrounds and so much to learn from.
The chance to make a difference
Reputation matters, but it is extremely difficult to quantify. Whether it’s having a conversation down the pub, or scrolling through our phones, we are all constantly engaging with new information which has the capacity to change how we think about a product, organisation, or campaign. Growing up in the digital age, where communication can be siloed, I know how challenging it is to establish a narrative that genuinely cuts through the noise. Misinformation and disinformation are rife, and as content becomes more individualised, it is harder than ever to tell compelling stories that reaches the widest audience possible. Working in communications allows you to feel like you are making a genuine difference to an organisation, and in doing confront one of the big puzzles of our age.
Why I chose Headland
The organisation
The thing that really stood out to me about Headland was just how much they seemed to offer clients; financial PR, corporate communications, public affairs, sustainability comms, digital, insight, campaigning, it’s all here. What’s unique about Headland is that it gives trainees the chance to work across all these areas. At this stage in my career, I have no idea where I’ll go but I’ve already had the chance for in-depth experience across the agency.
The people
Another reason why I applied to Headland was the sheer calibre of the people they hired. From those who had worked at the heart of government, to others who had been on the frontline of some of the big crisis stories of the past few years, it was clear that the calibre was incredibly high. Just sitting at my desk, I overhear bespoke, well-researched advice to clients from some of the most experienced people in the game. This goes for juniors as well. Everyone I have had the pleasure to work with is intelligent, enthusiastic and has a passion for the job. They also happen to be super lovely as well!
The vision
Visiting the Headland website, you’ll be met with the phrase ‘The Power of Collaboration.’ Already, I’ve seen that it’s more than just another slogan, and truly underpins what Headland is all about. There is a real sense that everyone here is rooting for each other, and the agency can offer the best advice to clients by drawing on the knowledge, experience and insight from every corner of the business. As a trainee, with only two months experience, I feel like my voice has been listened to and my opinion valued.
So, why choose PR, and why choose Headland? If I had to condense these 800 some words into just two, it would be easy: the people.
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