‘Public relations’ by definition is the act of maintaining a positive public image for businesses and high profile people - a good public appearance is vital for success.
When I sat down to start this blog I began to question why I have chosen this course at university and found it pretty simple to pin point. Asides from my interest in PR I came to realize that throughout my life I have tried to provide answers for difficult problems and use my personal experiences to help offer a solution.
I chose to study at Leeds Metropolitan University because I felt it was important for me to spread my wings and build a new life in a different country. Through living in Leeds for half of the year whilst I am studying I find I have the ability to make and maintain friends and contacts in Leeds and at home in Northern Ireland .
I was very lucky on my Gap Year as I worked for 9 months on a part-time basis in an event management company. So much of life is founded from sheer luck – such as being in the right place at the right time. A family friend had recently started an events management company in good old Belfast called Podiem.
As I had such a good time I realized that my career plan is to eventually become an events manager, and from my experience working at Podiem (http://www.podiem.com/home.aspx) I think it would be career I would enjoy. I chose to study PR and Marketing because I felt it was a very diverse course to embark on. Once I have completed the course I will be able to apply myself within different fields and my PR experience will benefit me greatly if I become involved in events management.
I am a people person. I feel I am capable of dealing with difficult circumstances. I can always shed a positive light on negative situations and I am often able to provide viable solutions. I feel that with my positive mentality I would work well within the Public Relations industry or within an events management company. By being able to connect to people and see things from their point of view it becomes easier to relate messages to them, and that is what I plan to do.
During my teenage years I have worked many different jobs, from waitressing at weddings and restaurants to working in a pharmacy for over a year, to regular childcare. I feel I have become very people orientated and I am able to adapt to most of their needs. Through having part time jobs I have been able to build on my confidence and organizational skills – abilities I feel are essential to being successful within the PR world and through my experience of varying workplaces I have now gained self-belief and feel comfortable in putting my ideas forward.
I had not visited the city of Leeds before I came to start at the university, which made the whole process even more daunting than I had originally imagined! I knew few people in the city and had no idea what I was letting myself into – but I am so glad I did. I am NOT a city person, I grew up in the country – always smelling faintly like horses and where mud is not always an option!
I hope in the coming years I can grow and better myself to become a hopeful employee entering the business world in this difficult economic climate.
Was Leeds ready for you? Have they recovered yet?
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