I started thinking about life after university as soon as I enrolled in 2019. Like many other students, I went to university hoping to find a career rather than going with a predetermined path. So, on February 19th, 2019, I went to a university-hosted career event, and luckily for me, Liberty Communications also attended.
I was going to a friend’s birthday directly after the event, so my smart casual attire (emphasis on casual) probably gave me an aura of confidence and calm that was not reflected on the inside. Nonetheless, as the event went on, I became more at ease, and networking became easier. I recall meeting James (Head of External Relations) and Elena (CEO) in a quickfire networking session and being immediately interested in the field of PR. But with my mind spinning with job options, I took some time to think and began to see my career path with greater clarity.
Since meeting Liberty two years ago, I’ve been in regular contact with the team, exploring placements and figuring out the best time to intern during a pandemic. Over the course of my communications with Liberty, I’ve been continuously impressed by the amount of time and attention devoted to myself, all team members as well as clients. And so, in August 2021, I began a three-week internship at Liberty as part of the Liberty Academy.
When starting out as an intern at somewhere new, there is often a feeling of isolation and unfamiliarity to your team and the work. The remote working climate intensifies this, as your placement begins one morning without you needing to leave the house.
However, from the beginning, the team at Liberty excelled in welcoming me as well as keeping me informed and connected throughout my placement. From the daily team calls to the time dedicated to discussing tasks and accounts with me, I would like to thank the whole team for making my time at Liberty engaging and enjoyable.
Prior to my time with Liberty, I had some experience in the PR tech area, but I was new to managing multiple accounts and working agency side. One of the biggest benefits of an internship is the transition of knowledge from theoretical to practical. Career insights can too often be surface level, but at Liberty, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of jobs, as well as accounts, and I was able to independently manage my capacity and workload. From media monitoring to drafting pitch notes, using several media platforms and working with the US team, my taste of life at Liberty and the PR industry was diverse and inspiring.
I was lucky enough to go into the office during my third week and feel some sort of normalcy. It was fantastic to meet more members of the team in person and get a sense of how they work together in real life. However, this experience was not tainted by remote working – I am now entering my third and final year of study feeling confident in my career direction, with enough time to reflect before entering the big scary world of post-graduation life.
