Final blog but much more experience to be had!

Hi everyone,

(I encourage safe planking!)

This will be my final blog - posting from Curtin University Perth, with my placement at Socialite Media.

I'm a strong believer in learning the hard way, and learning by being thrown in the deep end rather than having your hand held the whole process. This also happens to be a learning tactic for my boss, who feels as though you can only learn by doing it on your own. Through this learning mechanism I have been taught (nearly) everything there is to know about working at Socialite Media and the role of an Account Manager. I am nearly up to speed with the other staff and in a couple more weeks time I will be ready to start as a full timer and have my own clients!

Over the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to step into the shoes of the Account Managers, as they have each had their own periods of leave or sick days. Three days now I have had to cover for some of the girls which means taking not one, not two, but seven clients on board and running their social media accounts from 8.30am till 5.30pm. This process is quite stressful, especially if you don't have any material to work with - in terms of the client providing you with updates - and often involved no lunch breaks and getting home late. However I have had a true feel for what it will be like in a month or so when I am employed as a full timer.

Since starting at Socialite Media and becoming aware of how important social media is for businesses, my eyes have been opened to how prevalent social media actually is. Everywhere in the news and day to day life the words 'social media' are mentioned and is often a hot topic. In the business, posting letters is no longer referred to as "snail mail", in fact e-mails are the new "snail mail".  In our office, we use Skype as a way of sending each other files imediately rather than using our emails or thumb drives. People want to access their information immediately, and word is spreading faster than ever before - about businesses, people, events, everything. More people found out about Osama Bin Ladens death via Twitter and Facebook than traditional news forms such as television and paper (by the time it was printed on the front page of the West Australia, it was old news to me!) . It's this instantaneous communication that is becoming the norm, and I am excited to be part of the trend.

I feel incredibly priveleged to have found this placement at Socialite Media, and to have been able to show what I am capable of. This may be my last blog for PR 393, but it certainly won't be my last online post!! See you all in the social media world!

Meredith xx

(if any of you would like to contact me - feel free to send me a message on Facebook or Hotmail).