This ride called life

Today I found myself pondering about where my life is taking me.

I have found that throughout the internships I have been completing there are so many different directions in which I can take- but which one of those is the right path for me?

I started off my degree in accounting. I have always looked up to my older cousins; who are both very successful accountants. When asked what I want to be when I get older as a child, I would always answer "I'll own my own accounting firm"...  Clearly I wasn't the average kid.

My dreams starting to plan out quite perfectly when I received a scholarship to study accounting at university whilst still studying in year 12. From there I gain an undergraduate position at a local accounting firm BM&Y.

It was a year into my studies and work that I realised that sitting at a desk, drinking coffee and tapping at a computer is not what I had in my for my line of work (I haven't changed the coffee habit yet).

I am a people person. I dance, sing and am constituently energetic. I enjoy a good conversation with people, and approach strangers with ease. I do not have a problem with standing in front of a crowd, directing people, or sitting back and listening... but one thing I do love is being surrounded with people.

So now, three years on, I am studying a double major of marketing and public relations. I am meeting people, I am talking, creating and achieving many things I did not dream of 3 years ago, however now my studies are coming to an end, it's the next step that I am so confused about.

This is my third events planning job whilst at an internship, and I must say I love the thrill of it! I thrive off stress and that seems very peculiar, even to me, but somehow it pushes me to get onto the work, and even make me organise myself outside of the work environment. Maybe, just maybe, I have found my dream job... I suppose we will all find out soon enough.

 x Anna x

It's All about People

It’s been exactly 17 days since I started my internship at BlastCommunications, and a recurring and valuable observation has led me to share it with you:

It’s all about people.

It does not initially matter whether you are a stellar PR Assistant, or how much theory you have. If you do not get along with the people you work with, they will not trust you with any task and therefore you will never learn or advance in your environment.

In order to be successful in any area where working with other people is required, people skills are one of the most important things one must possess. It takes a savvy combination of confidence, humbleness, and maturity to gain the trust of key people who will aid you in your development, both on a personal and professional level.

Personally, I have grown fond of working with two particular PR Executives who have a lot of experience in the field, and I have gained enough of their trust to observe every detail of their client management. They show me the tricks of the trade; giving me cell phone numbers of top journalists to contact, letting me know if there are interesting press releases or press books to draft, asking superiors if I can assist events, and looking over my work continually. They will go out of their way to explain something to me if they sense that I have not grasped a concept or task, something which I do not take for granted because they are not required to do so. 

Working with them gives me a lot more insight than just receiving orders from superiors. All these services are available to me because I took the time to get to know my colleagues, open up to them in turn, and place importance on individuals before the work at hand.  

A company is firstly and fore mostly comprised of people. Consequently they are the most important asset to the company or firm because without people, there would be no firm to begin with.

Keeping this in mind when working at the office can optimize your chances to learn, grow, and network. It also helps those who work with you to see the person behind the intern or employee. 

Sasha-Lee Marivel