It’s that time of the month again, here’s another Featured Career for you guys!

Please welcome Rachel! I’m especially excited about this months featured career because Rachel’s job is very, very similar to mine. We both work as Account Executives at PR/Marketing agencies. So for all of you that were wondering what I do for 30 hours a week, Rachel more or less answers your question in this blog post!

1. What exactly is your job and job title?

Account Executive & Social Media Specialist at AGP & Associates

2. Describe a typical day in your work life?

A typical day working at a marketing communications firm can really vary. I change tasks often throughout the day and sometimes am pulled into meetings at random. But, here is a taste of what I do:

• Write news releases and copy for marketing materials, such as direct mail, marketing e-mails, newsletters, landing pages, advertisements
• Perform research for various projects. This can range from finding the perfect stock photos for a series of ads to checking up on what a client’s competition is doing in the social media sphere to compiling media lists.
• Research new business, create presentations and pitch to potential clients.
• Meet with other members of the team to determine which social media strategies would work well for our clients.
• Write proposals and tactical plans, especially when related to social media.

3. What’s your favourite thing about your job? Least favourite?

I love the variety of working at a firm. Additionally, since I work at a small firm, I get the opportunity to get very involved on a lot of different projects.

My least favorite aspect lately has been dealing with salespeople. Since I compile media lists for advertising, the ad sales people at magazines are constantly “following up” with me. The constant interruption of phone calls wears on your nerves.

4. How did you end up on this career path?

At our PRSSA spring conference at Central Michigan University during my freshman year, I listened to a professional talk about working an a PR agency. It sounded so exciting, so I job shadowed at the same agency during my sophomore year. After being an account executive in our student-run PR firm and interning at both Fahlgren Mortine in Columbus, Ohio and at AGP, I was positive that I wanted to launch my career at an agency. Someday I’d like to start my own agency.

5. What is something about your job that people wouldn’t expect?

Sometimes the tasks I have to do are completely random. For example, last week I was a hand model. I held a product for the graphic designer to take photos. At a small firm, you play a role in literally every aspect of the business.

6. If you could describe your career in one word, what would that word be and why?

Evolving.

Not only is the field of communications evolving because of social media and the changes in traditional media, but my role is constantly evolving as my skills grow.

7. Anything else you’d like to add?

In addition to my job at AGP, I freelance as the managing editor of Vision Mid Michigan. My job as an editor has given me a chance to see PR from the other side. I receive news releases and have to determine their newsworthiness. I also manage a team of freelancers, which can be a challenge. But, I absolutely love the job and how it has helped me grow my skills.

I totally relate to her answer to #5! Sometimes I get to do really random (but fun) tasks. This week I am staining our deck chairs. A few paid hours spent in the nice sun painting and away from the desk/computer? I’ll take it!

Question for the readers today is:

If you could describe your career in one word, what would that word be and why?

It’s the end of July already! Whattt? Ridiculous.

Anyways, this months featured career is my good friend, Danielle (aka Newf). Danielle and I went to J-school together before she moved back to Newfoundland to pursue her career as a broadcast reporter!

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1. What exactly is your job?

I’m a broadcast reporter

2. Describe a typical day at your job?

Well there’s never really a typical day… but the day always begins with the morning meeting. It lasts anywhere from 1/2 hour to an hour. We’re given assignments and brainstorm other ideas and different angles we can take on current stories. We also talk about what stories our competitors have been doing.

Depending on what assignments I’m given I usually get started right away. If I have outside events I’ll do a bit of research on whatever it is, if I have time, if not I just wing it. Lately I’ve been in the station, which means I’m interviewing sources by phone, writing, and recording newscasts.

So after the meeting I’ll read through the news just to see what’s going on. Then I’ll start to make phone calls. It’s rare to reach a source on the first try so it’s good to start calling early. Also it gets busier later in the day. Around 10:30am I start to put together my cast, so I choose which stories I want to use, based on the region of the province I’m broadcasting to. Then I record…all. day. I read about 20 newscasts a day. In between those I’m interviewing, and writing, and sometimes finding time to eat. (So I’m one of the people that you hear at most stations at the top of the hour reading the news.)

3. What do you love about your job? Hate about it?

I love the adrenaline rush. The urgency of it all. I love trying to beat out the competition to have the story before them, or have more detail than them. I love that no day is the same, and that I’m always busy. I love receiving compliments and thanks for having provided coverage to an important issue.

I hate that I can’t leave work at the office. Don’t get me wrong some reporters can, but I’m not one of those and I hate my wage. Considering the serious nature of a lot of the stories we do reporters should be making more.

4. Do you see yourself doing this forever? Why or why not?

I don’t really know about forever, because right now it just seems to be exhausting. I can’t imagine trying to raise a family and work this hard. The hours are long and even when I’m off. I’m not really. We call ourselves “newsies” because everything you do is news related. I could be having a conversation with someone and something they say often triggers a story. On my days off I’m also still keeping up on what the station is doing so that when I go back I’m still in the loop. This helps because on any given day I could be assigned to any story. So having the background just makes it easier.

I hope to eventually be doing spot news, which is basically the reporter assigned to do outside events. They’re the face of the station. They cover everything from cheque presentations, to fires etc. It’s exhilarating! It’s unfortunate because I love my job but unless I get a serious pay raise I won’t be doing it forever. As a single women, it’s just not feasible, unless I plan to stay in my parent’s basement forever. With that in mind I’ll probably end up doing PR at some point, preferably for a non-profit literacy organization. Though I’m not sure the money would be much better.

5. What’s one thing about your job that most people don’t realize?

Maybe how hectic it is. I imagine other newsrooms are like this too, but there’s always phones ringing, and audio being played back and multiple people recording at once there’s never quiet. We work on an hourly deadline, because we have a newscast at the top of every hour. Everything we do is urgent. We always want a story like 5mins ago. So whenever you get your interview you basically have to have the story written for the next hour.

6. What’s the biggest way your job differs from print journalism?

Well the deadlines as I explained above but also the celebrity-esque nature of it. I don’t consider mysself a celebrity at. all. But it’s the sort of things when you tell people you work for a radio station they say “your famous.” It just happens. And while my face may be unknown my name is not and that takes some getting use to. I reach an audience of 500-thousand. In print I feel as though you can much more easily fly under the radar.

7. Any thing else you’d like to add?

Radio is a really neat atmosphere. It’s fun especially outside the bubble of the newsroom. Our sister stations always have contests and concerts, there’s always a buzz. Any the phrase “you have a face for radio” completly false. There’s a good-looking bunch at my corp! Feel free to ask me any other questions

Thanks, Newf! XO

Fun fact: My little brother has a job working at the radio station in FSJ this summer! I, on the other hand, could never see myself working in broadcast journalism because I hate the sound of my voice (you can hear my voice in my vlog here).

Do you like the way your voice sounds recorded? And does anyone else have trouble leaving work at the office? (I do, sometimes!)

First, the Monday Meeting posts will be a little more sporadic throughout the summer and not necessarily posting every Monday.

Welcome to the second installment of Workplace Fashion (see the first one here). This installment of the series has a theme: Work Dresses!

I personally LOVE wearing dresses to work in the summer. It’s too hot for pants, and a dress is just so easy to grab out of your closet in the morning and throw on. I’d say a dress is my go-to outfit in the summertime!

I’ll share my absolutely FAVOURITE work dress, first.

My mom actually picked this dress out for me at Winners. I LOVE it. The material is so comfortable and it’s so easy to throw on in the morning. I also like that its kind of funky with the different colours and lines.

Here are the other fashion photos for this week! They are all fabulous.

Jamie

“When you work as a professional, you have to look well put together.When you look well put together I think people feel more confident in you and feel you are more organized, presentable and approachable. Confidence is key in the business world!“

Jamie works as a junior staff accountant at a public accounting firm. She got her dress from Suzy Shier, her necklace from Dynamite and her flats from Aldo.

Emily from Emily Jane

“I like dressing up and more formally and business like than I would usually – when else do I get to do it?? I’m also a big advocate of dressing for the job you want, not the job you have – when you look like you take your appearance seriously, I find people are more likely to take YOU seriously, too”

Emily works in the pre-employment field providing assistance to people with gaining skills to find employment. She got her dress at Smart Set and the white shirt at Ricki’s.

Leigh from All You Need is Love

“While I was working for a temp agency, their motto for dressing for different placements was “no boobs, no butts, no belly” and I think that perfectly sums it up. A normal work dress week for me means dress pants, skirts or dresses. On Fridays we are allowed to wear jeans, which I take advantage of. If I wear jeans, I will wear a dressier top or jacket. There are people in my office who take advantage of the casualness of it by wearing sweatpants or yoga pants, which I do not find appropriate”

Leigh works in a union position. She got her dress from H&M and her shoes from Superstore – Joe brand.

Jolene from Everyday Foodie

“Fashion in the workplace should be professional, yet still reflect the personality of the person. I tend to dress more “bland” at work than I would on the weekends, but I jazz up my outfits with accessories”

Jolene is a teacher and she got her dress at Superstore – Joe Brand.

Paula from Insert My Blog Name Here

“My workplace fashion personally doesn’t vary too much from what I would wear outside of work most of the time. But my company isn’t very strict about dress code, so this is fine. I once got into trouble for showing my midriff but that was an accident (my top had rode up while I was walking.) I wouldn’t generally turn up at work wearing a crop top or a micromini without tights or anything like that – it’s just not me!“

Paula works at a non-profit and she got her dress online at www.asos.com.

Ashley from Ashley as Aurora

“Our dress code is “business casual” with Fridays being a “jeans and t-shirt” day. I work primarily with kids between the ages of 5-17 who have been removed from their homes by Child Protective Services, so I do a lot of play/art therapy. It can be tricky when choosing my outfit for the day because when I’m not working with the kids I spend most of my time completing paperwork, attending meetings and returning phone calls and emails. I try to balance a casual wardrobe (so it’s not a big deal if a kid spills paint all over me) with some more professional outfits when necessary.”

Ashley works as a counselor at a non-profit agency. She bought this dress and belt at Kohls for under $35!

Do you wear dresses to work? Why or why not? If you do, do you tend to wear colourful summer-y dresses or stick to more professional ones?

The next time I do a workplace fashion post the theme will be Casual Friday. If you want to participate, send me a pic of your favourite Casual Friday Outfit with the answers to the questions found here.