Not for Profit vs Corporate

This is my first blog, I'm a bit late to the start mark! I'm doing my internship with a not-for-profit organisation called United Way, a franchise company of an American organisation that links businesses with community. So really they're like the middleman of charity.

When I was looking for my placement I really wanted something in a corporate setting, but I'm really happy that I am at United Way. I have always been under the impression that not-for-profit organisations did not take as much work as corporate when it came to PR and media etc. But I've learnt that it is actually the opposite. The amount of work that goes into getting in contact with journalists and sending out several media releases with photo ops and follow up calls is shocking! But it has been a really good challenge.

For me the most challenging thing so far has been developing a relationship with the media. Throughout doing my PR degree my tutors have always spoken of journalists as if they are the big, bad wolf and impossible to get in touch with. I have always put them on such a pedestal! But when my intern supervisor gave me the number of a journalist at the Guardian and told me to call her and follow up about a press release I had sent out I was terrified! I didn't know what to say and I stuttered throughout the phone call. But the journalist was perfectly friendly and took the story on. Needless to say my fear of them has decreased a fair bit.

So far so good, really enjoying what I'm learning and so good to be out in the field and not in a classroom reading a book!