A Journey through PR

I have a degree in Communication Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University and a lot of admin and customer service experience. After a transfer to UOIT and than back to Laurier… I decided to start my journey in the field of communications and see where I would eventually end up…

I’ve managed to have a number of jobs through my university studies that have allowed me to gain valuable work experience and essential skills that relate to PR. From a library desk assistant to a waitress at Swiss Chalet, to a receptionist at RE/MAX…I have worked in a variety of positions that have kept me busy and taught me a lot!!!

Ending up at Mohawk in PR…came after many college applications, internet research and talks with my mother. Through much thought and deliberation, I ended up accepting Mohawk’s PR program because of a recent interest in corporate communications and a recent move to Hamilton.

I thought PR would be a natural fit for me as it can combine my passion and creativity in both communications and business. Public Relations seemed suitable as it combines a variety of things I like to do; consume media, be curious, find answers and write, to things that people could pay me to do; manage a message, know the media, make the CEO sound good etc…without having the constraint of sitting in an office every day from 9 to 5.

I love to follow media and I do enjoy writing as a hobby…but a good PR person is more than an Internet addict and a premature writer. I’m attracted to PR because I want to learn more about Canadian businesses and how communications planning fits into their business strategy and how this relationship will continue to change and develop. 

Todays social media era has changed the way businesses are communicating with their customers. Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have allowed for people to become their own creative journalist’s by reviewing a product, being a food critic or blogging about the latest entertainment buzz. This is making it so every day people are essentially becoming journalists and communicating a message to a business’ audience. People are talking a lot – about a lot of things – and social media is allowing for this to be completely public.

This has evolved as good strategy for PR as it is a convenient way for businesses to contact the public on a familiar basis, however it also proves to be a challenge. Social media has become a medium for companies to address the public without having a PR firm issue crisis management or controlled and earned media. PR firms need to continue to integrate their services with marketing and advertising in order to remain relevant, competitive and a part of the overall impression a business makes on its consumers. I hope to integrate my PR skills and past work experience to continue this integration and keep PR as a crucial part of the industry. 

Taking this course has sparked me on a journey…through business, communications and PR alike …it started at Laurier and who knows where it will end up. I have learned so much already not only through this course but through past work and volunteer experience. I’m excited to continue learning the many aspects of PR and see where our next terms leads and the positions and work placements I will gain because of it. A journey through PR and it all started at Mohawk in i102.