Adding the finishing touches

Exactly one year ago I’d packed my bags and moved to one of the most dynamic cities in the world to pursue a career in public relations. My foray into the wonderful and magical world of PR hit a high note when I won the ultimate and most coveted of prizes: an entry into the rarefied environs of the top PR agency in Australia, Ogilvy Public Relations. Being the winner of the Ogilvy PR Finishing School competition in Sydney provided me with the extraordinary prospect of learning from some of the foremost experts in the field.

The wonderful team who organised my week made sure that nothing was left to chance. Every aspect of career and personal development was addressed by highly experienced professionals. My training included induction courses with all Ogilvy PR companies and practices, personal branding exercises, presentation skills training, social media training, etiquette and client management training and so much more.

Ogilvy PR takes employee relations very seriously as evidenced by Impact Employee Communications, which is dedicated entirely to improving employee relations. During the course of my week as I met people from the various companies, what struck me the most was that they all understood the core values and principles of the company and strived to integrate it into their practice of PR. Ethics and integrity is a top priority for the company which was evidenced in things such as their intern policy, their client relationships and their commitment to sustainability communications.

Another aspect that stood out was the vibrant and positive atmosphere in the offices and the approachability of the top management. I had members of the top management including the CEO come up and introduce themselves and make an effort to find out more about me. My past experience in the corporate world has shown me how rare such instances are and it made my experience here that much more special.

I was also fortunate to be present at the industry launch of Ogilvy PR’s ‘Peripheral Vision’ study looking into the future of the PR industry over the next ten years. A panel of industry leaders and academics discussed the findings of the research and the increased role PR would play in the coming years. The company is a leader in research and innovation in the public relations industry and is set to take it by storm through its advances in services measurement.

Winning the Ogilvy PR Finishing School Competition will always remain one of the highlights of my life and the training and insights I have gained will give me a definite edge in my career. It is going to be a little difficult to follow this act but I’m looking forward to implementing what I have learned so far into a meaningful and successful career in public relations.

Thank you Ogilvy PR Australia!