My name is Elise Middleton and I’m currently in my third year at the University of Worcester, studying journalism.
The PR industry has always interested me and while we’ve touched on it in my course, we’ve never really gone into depth about it.
So, when I was seeking work experience and came across See Media, I really hoped they would be able to offer me a placement that would give me greater insight into the industry. And I’m glad to say they did.
See Media offers all its colleagues, including me, complete flexibility. I was able to spread out my 10 working days across three weeks, around my studies, supporting the team on a number of projects.
Joining the team
Despite working from home, I have really been made to feel a part of the team – even in the short space of time I’ve been here.
Each morning the team get together on TEAMS to talk about their priorities for the day, which is then followed by one of the team delivering a short training session or activity to get everyone’s juices flowing.
PR opportunities
During my placement I was given the opportunity to have a go at multiple aspects of PR. For example, I have had a go at writing press releases, comment pieces, social media posts and have been doing the sentiment scoring of coverage for several different housing associations.
I haven’t had much experience of writing press releases but being at See Media has really given me the confidence to write them again in the future, as it is a vital aspect of PR.
Planning ahead
As I started in January, I was also set the task of creating a 2022 planner, where I filled in the awareness days, features, award dates and events throughout the year – relevant to See Media’s clients.
Using Microsoft Excel to create the planner was definitely a challenge, as I’ve never really used it before. But it’s something I’m sure I’ll need to use again no matter where my career takes me!
Podcasting
I really enjoyed sitting in on a podcast recording for one of See Media housing association clients, Stonewater. I wasn’t really aware that PR agencies produce podcasts, before I came across See Media. But I think it’s a great way for organisations to connect with their customers.
The podcast was centred around promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace – a very interesting and important topic that I learnt a lot about during the recording.
While, I haven’t yet decided what I would like to do once I’ve finished my degree, my placement with See Media has given me the insight I was hoping for into the world of PR.
It is a career that I would definitely be interested in exploring in the future, and so I want to thank the team at See Media for giving me this opportunity!
If you’re looking to gain work experience in PR or are interested in our internship programme, send your CV and a cover note to hello@see-media.co.uk.
