PR Pro Interview

For my interview assignment, I decided to contact the marketing and communications department of the UofW, hoping someone would be willing to set up an interview and answer a few questions for me. After sending a few messages I eventually came in contact with Diane Poulin, she is the communications officer for the University of Winnipeg, she gained a bachelor of arts in communications studies at Concordia University. She was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to allow me to interview her over the phone, this is how it went.

Me: What is a typical week like for you? (if no week is typical, how was last week?)

Diane:  “Great question, one thing that is exciting about working for the UofW is there is a tremendous amount of variety. We have a small communications staff here at the university, so it gives me the opportunity to dip my fingers into everything. I don’t have a typical work week, but last week consisted of writing a speech for an event the president of the university was attending, and I also wrote some news reports for a national LGBT study conducted at the university, and also a medical isotope study done here at the university. All while taking numerous calls from the media.”

 

Me: Tell me about a project that you worked on that made you especially proud.

Diane: “One thing that I am especially proud of during my position here at the university would be our report to the community, it’s a twelve page report that we disperse to over 180,000 homes in Winnipeg and rural areas. I am proud that I was given the opportunity to conceptualize a report to reach broader communities, and really give them insight on what we are doing here at the UofW.

 

Me:  What do you do to keep current in the PR industry?

Diane: “We are encouraged to attend conferences, and seminars that are close to home and really reflect this industry. I tend to be on the older side of the ledger, the younger person in our office (25 years old) takes on the social media aspect.”

 

Me: What do you wish you would have known before starting your career in PR?

Diane: “It’s pretty much how I envisioned, I started in journalism and quickly realized that you have to be quick on your feet, and need to be flexible, and have flexible skills.”

 

Me: How important is writing in your career?

Diane: “It is extremely important, you need to be fast, accurate, and able to grasp complicated topics, and be able to write it in a simplistic yet engaging way. It is one of the most important skills to have when working in the industry.”

 

Me: If you've ever worked for an agency, how is agency life different from corporate PR life?

Diane: “I have never worked in an agency, I have always worked in the public and non- profit sector.”

 

Me: What three tips would you offer someone just starting out in PR?

Diane: “Be prepared to say yes to anything in the first two years of your career, including a low salary. Get as much experience as you can, and always be nice to people you meet in the industry, it’s a small world and you will eventually overlap with these people again, so it is important not to burn any bridges. It is also important to build a portfolio, especially as a student.”

 

Me: When your company is hiring for an entry-level PR position, what makes a candidate stand out?

Diane: “You need to have a good attitude, and a good portfolio. Be able to demonstrate a variety of experiences, and try to secure good reference letters.”

I think after doing this assignment, I have a broader understating of what some positions may be like in the PR industry. The fact that there is so much variety is very appealing to me. My only concern would be to work on my creative writing skills, I still have trouble writing pieces that are entertaining and that can engage the readers, and really get their attention. I am excited to learn more and really build and perfect these skills.