Kicking off our guest speaker series in inspirational style, our class had the privilege of learning from Krista Murray, a Mohawk College Public Relations Program graduate and the current Marketing Manager at Mabel’s Labels.
Krista previously worked in the non-profit industry for the Canadian Cancer Society and Peel Children and Youth Initiative. Now she oversees everything from social media and influencer relations to digital marketing and advertising at Mabel’s Labels. With nearly 15 years of experience in the communications and PR field, Krista had a wealth of knowledge to share with our class.
Here were my top takeaways from her guest talk:
You learn by doing.
When Krista first entered the industry after graduating from Mohawk College’s Public Relations Program, she found herself doing everything from writing grant proposals to event planning and managing budgets. Even though she hadn’t honed all of these skills right out of the college gates, it was a relief to hear that on-the-job training is the norm, and how you fit within an organization is what matters most to a prospective employer. Krista encouraged us to shadow senior people in our organizations, ask oodles of questions, and even put all of our class notes into a binder for easy reference as we embark on our careers after graduation.
You always need to be adapting to change.
Whether it’s jumping on the video train, staying informed of new data and privacy laws, or shifting your focus from boosting profits to building brand trust during a global pandemic, Krista highlighted how the communications industry is always changing. Plus, every organization you work with will have a different way of doing things. Her advice is to monitor industry trends, pay attention to the current social climate, and keep upgrading your skills through educational events and programs so you can stay in the know.
It’s not all glamorous.
Despite rubbing elbows with influencers and celebrities and getting to travel to fun events across the globe, Krista reminded us that being a PR professional isn’t always wrapped up in all the glitz and glamour Samantha Jones led us to believe. Whether you’re tracking down lost shipments or lugging equipment across the country for a tradeshow, there’s a lot of hard work behind those Instagrammable moments you spend hanging out with the bigwigs.
Focus on growing your professional network.
“It’s not what you know, but who you know.” We’ve all heard the saying, and it rings truer than ever in the PR industry. Your professional network will be the foundation of your success, whether it’s building relationships with the media or making connections that open doors for you down the road. Krista reminded us that the sooner you start growing your professional network, the better. While you’re a student, make the most of your field placements, connect with guest speakers on LinkedIn and develop your presence on the platform, join industry organizations like the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), and attend industry networking events.
Look at everything as a career training opportunity.
For many of us, it’s easy to write off that retail job we had for years or that summer we spent as a camp counsellor, even if those roles taught us valuable communication and customer service skills. However, Krista reminded us that we should never discount our previous experience or the hands-on training we’re doing now in the Mohawk College Public Relations Program. These job experiences are a goldmine of transferable skills that we can highlight in interviews and use to pave the way in our future communications careers.
After hearing about Krista’s career journey in the communications and PR industry, I better understand what to expect when I find my first entry-level role and feel even more excited about what’s waiting for me on the other side of graduation!
Comments
Post a Comment