Charlotte Robertson - Financial PR

Charlotte Robertson is an alumni of the acclaimed PR Internship Programme created and run by Taylor Bennett in association with Brunswick. The programme is designed to encourage and enable talented young people from black and ethnic minority communities to pursue a career in corporate communications, and participants are all graduates from the University Of East London. Last Autumn Charlotte took part in an intensive ten week training and internship programme, learning everything there is to know about communications, the media and business. At the end of the programme she was offered a trainee executive post at Brunswick itself, and continues to work for the company, now as a fully fledged account executive.

By Sarah Stimson

Why did you apply for the internship programme?

I was keen to begin a career in PR but was faced with the reality of job hunting during a recession. The chance to learn from and work with a leading international communications consultancy presented itself, and I grabbed it. It seemed like a great opportunity to get the practical experience needed to compete for entry level jobs.

How did you end up working for Brunswick?

Eight weeks into the programme I applied for a trainee executive role. Career planning and interview techniques were all part of training on the programme, so I was fully prepared. After a long and thorough assessment day, I was offered a position. One year on I’m enjoying working life as a fully fledged account executive.

What does your current job involve?

Essentially it involves building and defending the reputations of a number of companies and organisations – from high-profile brands to small charities. As an account executive, key day-to-day activities include sector intelligence, media handling, drafting announcements, developing effective media briefing programmes and using core PR skills to successfully achieve campaign results. It requires a lot of hard work, passion and teamwork.

Do you have a PR degree? Has it been useful in your career so far?

No, and I’ve come across very few PRs who do. I studied Media with Journalism, which touched on elements of PR. This helped develop my ability to discuss relevant theories with confidence, and communicate cogently, but I’d say experience and passion is valued much more by employers.

Is working in PR what you expected?

I think I perhaps underestimated the power and importance of PR. There are many different types of PR, and financial is much broader and interesting than I had expected.

Tell us a bit about Brunswick

Brunswick started in London in 1987 and has a growing team of more than 470 people in 11 countries around the world. It is the most amazing collection of bright and talented people, including ex newspaper editors, investment bankers and broadcast producers.

Do you think social media is having a big impact on PR as a profession?

The media landscape is changing rapidly and companies are turning to PRs for expert advice on how best to engage. It’s exciting and brings a wealth of new opportunities – more channels to use to communicate messages effectively.

Do you think there is a lack of ethnic diversity in PR, and how should the industry tackle it?

Yes, but I think that we need to be careful not to racialise what is a social mobility issue, which has recently been brought into focus with the emergence of the coalition government and their idea of a “level playing field” for young people competing for jobs. This is why initiatives like the Brunswick Internship Programme, which tackles these issues, are so important. Companies need to value diversity and lead by example.

Are you still involved with the internship?

As an advocate of the programme, I am delighted to be on the other side of the fence, helping co-ordinate the programme and support the next generations of interns. I help plan the training programme at Brunswick, and work with the other key partners to make the experience as valuable as possible.

What advice would you have for anyone considering a career in PR?

Get as much experience as you can and know your media inside out. Look for ways to network and build your contacts, and most importantly, don’t give up at the first hurdle.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The variety – no two days are the same. You could spend one day managing social media channels and the next, pitching for new business. You also get to a meet a lot of powerful and influential business leaders, which is pretty cool.

What’s the worst thing about your job?

No matter how much you plan your day, it very rarely turns out as planned. But that’s also what makes it so exciting.

Tell us something interesting about yourself that we couldn’t find on the internet.

I have one foot two sizes bigger than the other! But I guess that’s on the internet now!