The organisation that I have been completing my prac at has an extensive approval process to go through before a media release is distributed. Sometimes before it is sent, a media release must be approved by as many as five or six people. This can be time consuming but ensures that the information is correct. It also takes any onus off the PR Officer if there are any mistakes.
A couple of weeks ago I found myself at work in a state of panic. On my panic day, I had three media releases on the go at one time. Each was at a different stage in the approval process. To this point, I had only dealt with one media release at a time and seen it through the entire process before beginning the next. My panic arose when I lost track of which copy was which on the computer, who had given approval and who hadn’t and at what stage each release was at…Ahhhhhhhh!
Thankfully, I had a very supportive team that helped me get through it and the PR Officer showed me how to use the task management system. Since then, I’ve put every task into the system and stayed in control. - Megan
6 comments:
Hey Megan,
Sounds like your day of panic would have been quite hectic, especially sending off three media releases at one particular time but it is great to hear that you have a supportive team behind you.
Since I have been doing prac I have come to learn that probably the most important tool you can have in the work place is a supportive team or support network, it helps so much and takes the pressure of a bit.
Well i wish you the best of luck for the rest of your prac and exams.
Brett B
Hey Megan,
Sounds like your organisation has proof reading down packed. It's amazing the mistakes that bury themselves in a media release... especially when you think you have proof read, so its good theres lots of back up to ensure all mistakes are found.
I have been in the same situation, where I have got things confused and lost work on the computer, in a sea of documents.
Task management is a savior!!! It's so easy to forget to monitor or manage what your doing but, especially when there is so much to keep track of.
Personally I rush too much, and get caught up in too many things and lose concentration. Thats when I have to refer to my handy task list and check where I'm at.
It's good to know I'm not the only one thats 'been there, done that'
Good luck with everything!
Angie.
Hello Megan,
Doing 3 media releases in one day, oh i understand your panic. However, this is the real professional world of PR and you get the chance to work under pressure this will make you become a better PR person.
Well, what i can say throughout my internship is that when we make mistake we also learn a lots. After all that is why we are doing an internship. so, don't bother at all as your team supported you.
i wish you good luck for your final report and the coming up exam.
Aasiya.
Hi Megan
You are a machine! Three media releases on the go at once!
At my plaement I have only had to write three in my full 20 days!
On a positive note, whilst your day sounded really hectic I think it would have been beneficial towards your career development.
It is also interesting to read about your approval procedure as it differs from the one at my placement so it's good to see what other companies are doing to monitor what information leaves their office.
Best of luck with the remainder of your placement.
Hi Megan,
Sounds like they've got you working hard! Writing three releases in one day would definitely have been a great challenge. As others have already mentioned, it should hold you in good stead when you're out in the PR workforce.
It's heartening to hear that you have such a supportive network within your organisation. From some of the other posts I've read, it doesn't sound like this is always the case.
Obviously you've chosen to keep this private, but I'd be really interested to know who you're doing your placement with. It's clearly a very thorough company, however having a media release checked by six different people sounds like a long and tedious process!
Josh.
I completely understand your frustration. The company I have been working for also has an extensive approval process and often the people who need to approve the document are busy and it takes a lot of time. Fortunately as time went on the people I worked for trusted my quality of work more and the approval process greatly shortened. But I imagine getting a new job now that uni is over, the processes are going to being all over again.
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