A few weeks ago, one of my college professors asked me to speak to a class about my job at Matter and how I got here. The class, called “How to Sell Yourself in a Tough Economy,” focuses on branding yourself and getting ready for the interview process that follows graduation. I remember how helpful it was to hear from someone other than a professor about what life was like after college, so I immediately wrote back and said I’d be happy to visit.
…and then reality set in.
Me? Speaking to a class? A little over a year ago, I had no idea what I wanted to do, and now I’m supposed to influence young minds about the job search process and life as a PR professional? Oh. My.
However, after all was said and done, I learned a lot about myself and my job. Specifically:
There is no daily routine to PR. A student asked me to describe what I do on a day-to-day basis, but I couldn’t tell them. PR is such a whirlwind, and that’s why I love it. Sure, I could name some of my daily tasks, but that doesn’t accurately paint the picture of what life in PR is like. Schedule? No thanks. I’ll take craziness over routines any day.
I’ve come so far in a year. Explaining to this class how I got here was hilarious, mostly because I couldn’t remember all of my extracurricular activities I did to build out my resume from when I was interviewing. Instead, I talked about how I have awesome clients and get to work with all aspects of their businesses every day. I work with so many people and on so many different projects that I feel I’ve grown more in a year at Matter than I did in four years at college. In the world of social media, I would have to say that I am currently #WINNING (or #failing for my college career, can’t quite decide).
Working in a PR agency is not for the faint–hearted. I saw the students’ eyes widen as I explained my job description and responsibilities – and I’m not going to lie, I felt that way too when I first started. I realized that not everyone can – or would like to – do what I do, and that’s what makes PR folks a special kind of breed.
I’m lucky to have such an awesome job. Matter has the coolest employees and benefits, and I’ve come to lean on my colleagues more like I would with a family. A majority of what I talked about with the class was our fun after-hours events and the vibe of our new office. Side note to all future presenters out there: If you tell the college students that your office has a company-branded kegorator, they will pay attention to what you have to say.
So take it or leave it, folks. Sometimes it takes a blast from the past (or a simple return to your college campus) to remember where you are, how you got there, and look forward to what’s next.