My First Month In PR

It’s hard to know exactly where to start when writing about my first month in PR.

“You’ve only been there a month.  How much can you even have to talk about?”, I hear you cry.

Well, a fair amount it would seem.

My position as a Junior Account Executive at Babel PR is my first ‘real’ job since graduating from Cardiff University, where I studied English Literature for three, now seemingly blissful years.  All of life’s big milestones entail challenges, and lots of them.  Challenges like a new routine, a new environment or a new set of daily interactions.  These are common hurdles faced by most people when they’re moving jobs, positions or careers; and they’re challenges which I too have had to navigate over the last month.

Four weeks in and I am still growing accustomed to the lifestyle changes this first foray into the world of PR has delivered.  In my pre-Babel life I was a graduate working as a part-time barista in my home county of Surrey, writing for music magazines in my spare time.  Now, I am a graduate entering the big smoke on a daily basis, learning the ropes of tech PR during the busiest period of the industry calendar year.  I had readied myself for changes, but it’s hard to emphasise just how significant the transition has been.

Gone are the days of perching on the bar at my local café, pulling espressos and hearing the town’s gossip from my worryingly regular locals; which is, as you can imagine, thrilling.  Instead I face a daily commute, which, despite the hours spent on trains and 5:30am wake up calls, has gifted me time to read books, listen to podcasts and reflect.

At the end of February the world’s largest gathering for the mobile industry will take place at Mobile World Congress.  I joined Babel PR in the New Year, just as the team – and the industry – was approaching the eye of the storm.  It’s been a very busy few weeks.  It’s been a steep learning curve.  It has, at times, been a little stressful; yes, even as a newbie.

Fortunately I feel as though I am in more than capable hands.  The whole team has been extraordinarily supportive and I’m glad to report that I already feel very welcome and at home here at Babel.

This hasn’t just been a month where I’ve started a new job, but a month where I’ve experienced a real lifestyle change.  If I can make it through to the other side of MWC unscathed, the rest of the year may even feel like a breeze.