New city, new job: my first nine months at a Toronto PR firm

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By Tara Bolger, Communications Consultant, BlueSky Communications

The past few years have brought on a significant amount of change– a new city, a new job and all that falls in between. I’ve been working with BlueSky for about nine months now as a communications consultant. I can easily say that I’ve learned so much during this time.

Previously from a small town in the city of Kawartha Lakes, I always planned to move to the city to pursue my career. It’s been quite the transition, and I’m finding that the city has some “country-esque” offerings too, which has definitely made the move that much better. There are so many different areas of the city to explore, I find myself out and about during my free time, taking photographs and meeting new people.

Working at BlueSky Communications, a boutique PR company in downtown Toronto, has been nothing short of amazing. You really bond with the people you work with, and it truly helps make the ultimate team. In addition to this, I feel I am able to really connect with clients, more so than in a bigger company setting. And at the end of the day, it is all about those connections.

During my time here, there have been a few things that I have found to be of upmost importance when it comes to my role:

  1. Building strong relationships: This is something that I am doing constantly. Not just with clients and media, but with my peers and even strangers. Life in general is all about building relationships, but in this industry it is essential to your business and its development.
  2. Adaptability: We never know what is going to be thrown our way and we really have to be willing to adapt quickly. It’s why PR works so well. Even if it is something we are unfamiliar with, we do everything possible to get familiar with it so that we can help in the best way possible.
  3. Organization: I’m a list maker; scratch that, an avid list maker. It helps me stay on top of things, and is probably the best way for myself to stay organized. There is also something to be said about scratching things off of a list that is quite rewarding.
  4. Problem solving: We have to be quick on our feet, if a problem presents itself, we find the solution, and it’s important to gauge each problem. Maybe it’s something that can be solved with one person, or maybe you need your team’s assistance.
  5. Creativity: Having an open mind, and being able to generate fresh ideas is crucial. I find that writing, constantly, helps me stay creative and generate ideas. I keep notepads with me everywhere I go, so that whenever I have an “ah-hah” moment, or important thoughts, I won’t loose them.

I’m learning every day and I find that every interaction I have with an individual, I’m learning something from them. It’s important to embrace every opportunity, to learn from it and to better yourself.

 

 

About Tara
Tara drives BlueSky’s day to day media relations activity, including developing and pitching story angles and building strong relationships with reporters. A graduate from advertising and public relations, she has worked with non-for-profits and small businesses to help with brand awareness, social media and design.

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