Two months in PR: Lessons from life at Babel

Joining Babel in January marked my first foray not only into PR but into the working world in general. Naturally, this has involved a lot of learning. I’ve learned that even though I went to university within walking distance of the Babel office, my sense of direction will still fail me quite considerably. I’ve also learned that the table in the boardroom doubles as a pool table, and that I am (unsurprisingly…) very bad at pool. My poor navigational skills and lack of hand-eye coordination were not exactly unknown to me, so these lessons pale in comparison to the huge amount I have learned from the team at Babel so far. It would take many instalments to cover everything I’ve learned, so for now, I will stick to three key takeaways. 

How varied a job in PR is

During my first weeks, I’ve found that every day brings a new task or responsibility to take on. As Babel has a team of just over 20 people, I’ve been able to integrate and take on valuable work right from the get go, thanks to the comprehensive and supportive onboarding process here.  As well as client-facing responsibilities such as attending meetings and providing real-time coverage updates, my role has also included researching to identify opportunities for our clients, as well as drafting content. As I recently completed my English degree, I was naturally inclined towards content development, so it’s great to have this recognised by the team and to be offered opportunities to get involved already. 

Working with a range of clients in different sectors also offers a lot of opportunities to vary my workload and activity, and I’ve enjoyed getting to develop a range of skills and areas of knowledge depending on the needs of different clients. So far, I don’t think I’ve had any two days that have been the same, so I know that even as I become increasingly experienced there will continue to be an element of excitement in my days. 

Priorities can shift very quickly 

Working on several different projects at any one time means that you have to be comfortable when it comes to multitasking, but it also means that you have to be organised enough to be able to quickly change gears and pick up another task when it needs to take precedence. Especially as I’m new to PR, I hadn’t experienced this kind of multitasking before, where you’re at the mercy of the industry and news cycle, but I enjoy the energy it brings to the workday. 

I think as a newcomer it is very natural to want to complete tasks as soon as they’re given, so it can be a bit of a learning curve having to relegate less pressing tasks to the bottom of your list while you get on with new priorities, but this is something that comes with the fast-paced environment, so ultimately it’s all part of the fun!  

Babel Socials

Speaking of fun… I have been very pleasantly surprised by how prominent a role social activities play in office life. Aside from Friday drinks and the transformation of the boardroom table into a pool table, we also have monthly socials for the whole team to get together and do something a bit different. This is one of the reasons why the team works so well together, as we can all enjoy each other’s company in a social setting too. Among the other plans in the works, we’re all looking forward to heading to Amsterdam for a few days this summer to celebrate our successes! 

As I approach the close of my first two months at Babel, I find it hard to believe that only three months ago I knew nothing at all about tech trade media, or what digital transformation is, let alone what C-LoC stands for! As I continue to develop my PR and tech knowledge, I’m excited to see what I get to work on next- and maybe I’ll even successfully pot a few balls in my next game of pool…