I have just completed my third day of my PR Placement with Devahasdin Communication- a boutique PR Firm in West Perth. The first thing I realised is how important it is, as a graduate, to have good general office skills.
The task I have been doing the most of over these three days is entering information into databases. I have been updating Perth business databases using the WA Business News Book of Lists and creating a fashion database. I also have been asked to answer the phones and make phone calls. The phones I was comfortable with as I currently work as a receptionist (however answering the phones was quite scary at first! What if they asked a question?) The databases were a bit more difficult.
The company uses Mac computers rather than the PCs I am used to which made things difficult to begin with. I have also had to get used to using Excel Spreadsheets which do not use a spell check, and I have had to work on how fast I can copy information from paper in front of me into a computer database. I found myself typing slowly and constantly making mistakes (which were not automatically corrected by the computer). I was disappointed in how slow and unproductive I seemed.
It makes me wonder whether the Public Relations degree should include a compulsory unit that covers using different types of technology and teaches general office skills. We have learnt so much over the three years to do with communicating to stakeholders, and everything will be valuable as we enter the PR world. However I wonder if a strong understanding of technology and office skills would give us the edge we need to find work, and make the transition into the corporate environment easier for us.
It is good that we have to do a placement to gain our degree, as now I have realised this issue I can educate myself in using both Macs and PCs, learn how to use Excel, Publisher and other office software (perhaps even MYOB), and practice my typing skills so when I enter the professional world I will be prepared. My advice to other graduates would be to really grow your knowledge of technology as much as you can, so when you get a job in PR you can focus on learning the industry not the tools they use.
Overall this has shown me how valuable this placement will be to me and my future. I have learnt so much in only three days, how much more can I learn in the 17 remaining? We are working towards the Channel 10 Oasis Ball (March 19) so I'm excited for that amazing insight into the world of event's management.
2 comments:
I think that when we did it, the Information Systems core unit in first year was really effective for giving us a headstart with a lot of the Microsoft Office programs. I'm not sure about the structure of that unit now but I think by the time you get to your placement in third or fourth year you have forgotten so many of the skills you learned!! Perhaps it would be beneficial to continue involving Office programming in a couple of the other core units. I think we only really used Word and basic Powerpoint for the rest of the core units. But there were definitely a heap of nifty tricks to use in all of the programs, even just things like screen drops and hyperlinking.
It goes back to the constantly updating technology in our world, and reiterates the importance of keeping on top of developments.
Haha, hi Sinead, I think I face the same thing during the 1st week of my internship at TITOV furniture company. I was required to key in all the customers data before I send the invitation email to them. I think Microsoft Work Excel is quite important when we enter the industry, as it was commonly use for office work nowadays.
Anyway, we need time to get ourselves familiar with those paper works. This is definitely not one or two days matter. I understand how frustrated is it when we feel that we are so slow and unproductive. Don't worry our employer actually understand that (for me they are), as long as you get all your work done at the end. Cheers
Leeyi
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