So, the day has come to write my final blog.
Here are 10 lessons I learnt during my time at AIME. (Some
of these are not related to PR, but is the wisdom shared to me from my
colleagues).
1. Events can be very stressful and do not always go to plan. However, a good team will use what is available and pull it all together. So, make sure you have a good team, a team you can rely on and a team that is hard working.
2. Supervisors want you to ask questions. That is what they are there for. Therefore, use this opportunity to gain as much knowledge and experience as you can.
3. If a program changes, make sure you redesign the posters and program flyers. No one likes to be misled when they think Shannon Noel is coming and he doesn’t show.
4. Wisdom granted from a colleague: You cannot classify people simply as introvert or extrovert, sometimes you meet people who are both.
5. Always be culturally sensitive and broaden your knowledge on culture. Whether this means travelling, talking to people or taking classes. It is so vital to have an understanding about culture and cultural communities.
6. Public Relations is not black and white. Just from reading the blogs by my classmates, it is evident that PR comes in many forms. This has been a great learning point, and makes this career path just a little more exciting.
7. When creating an event, you almost need a headliner act or a well-known personality to attract the numbers. Especially with a new event such as KiNDLiNG, I think it would have been beneficial to have had a headliner to entice a larger audience. I believe that was the initial idea, however to book a headliner, planning must be done well in advance.
8. Which leads me to advice number 8. When holding an event, it is especially important to start planning months and months before the date. This can be easier said than done with regular office and PR duties still in the mix. Prioritising your time to ensure planning is started well ahead is one issue. The other issue is having the organisation understand fully the role of PR. Especially in a non-for-profit, colleagues must be on board to realise how important an event can be in achieving objectives and raising necessary funds.
9. Even though we learn to be professional in our email etiquette and media releases, sometimes an organisation will not want you to be so formal. On my first few takes of an email I was told not to be strict with my formal or professional language. Be polite yes, and write proper English yes, but take on the personality of AIME. I found this quite hard to adjust to, as email etiquette and professionalism when communicating with stakeholders has been a focal point of the PR degree. It was very unorthodox to be asked to use slang and write with a ‘chilled’ and ‘fun’ tone when liaising with potential sponsors. I suppose it gives the recipient a real picture of the organisation and the exciting and upbeat one that AIME is.
10. The final lesson… What you study at university is not necessarily what you will end up doing. It is best to broaden your experiences and take on opportunities when they arise. You never know where they will lead or what doors they will open.
I am so grateful for my time at AIME and have enjoyed almost
every part (maybe not the stress). It has been a learning experience and has
given me a taste of the ‘real’ world. 6.30am wake ups, long days, and busy
schedules… maybe we should all do a postgrad degree ;)
All the best with the reports,
Libby
