Big or boutique? That is the question.
The dreaded day has arrived, your final day at University. The world seems a big place and your parents, grandparents, lecturers and tutors are asking, “what are you going to do now?”
Do you know? If you were anything like me, then probably not.
But the future needn’t be as scary as you first thought.
If you are reading this post then I will assume you have some interest in public relations and may be considering a career in the exciting world of PR. (Nice choice!) But where do you start looking? Is London the obvious choice?
The world of PR has some very interesting rumours around it and it’s probably best to clear those up now. We don’t spend our Fridays sipping champagne over lunch with journalists and we don’t get endless amount of freebies (well, not in B2B PR anyway), but that doesn’t mean it’s not an exciting and fun industry to be in.
If you were like me, then you may have a picture of running around London in heels, grabbing coffee for the journalist that you are dragging to meet your client at a cocktail bar. The reality is slightly different and the big city is not always the only (or best) option.
Yes, there are hundreds of PR agencies in London and some of them will have amazing offices with beautiful views of the city. You will wear a power suit every day and you will run out of red lipstick once a week. But sometimes, these agencies have a huge amount of employees and in reality you will probably spend your first few months trawling the internet for client mentions or spend your afternoons making coffee for the MD (who doesn’t know your name) until you prove yourself.
Boutique agency life however, can be very different.
If you are looking for a career in PR then starting out at a boutique agency can be the progression path you need. Firstly you will probably find that you have more opportunity to stand out at the interview stage and prove you are more than just another graduate. Secondly, if you bag the role then you are likely to be thrown in at the deep end. Smaller agencies don’t have spare resource, everyone plays their part and everyone is valuable. The role you play will make a difference to the team and more importantly to the client.
And finally, progression is encouraged. At Neo PR we like to nurture our staff from day one. I joined Neo as a Junior Account Executive and four years later I am a Director of the company. If you want to progress, learn and take on more responsibility then this will be received with open arms.
I am not telling you to cut up your oyster card and head into the local village, but as a graduate, PR can be a difficult and very competitive market. It is important to remember that the grass may not always be greener and there may be something closer to home that is just as good for you, your career and your bank balance.
If you are interested in joining a boutique team then get in touch, we don’t bite. prworks@neopr.co.uk – we are always looking for more young talent to grow.
