Alex's second week at KISS

The skies are growing darker, the air is getting colder, but at least KISS is keeping things warm and cheerful as I finish up my second week with the PR team. It’s been busy, of course, but you don’t go into PR for a quiet, uneventful time. Instead, there are new opportunities and responsibilities almost every day. This variety is a major positive, and it means that you never end up feeling like some sort of administrative Sisyphus.

It also means that you have to be adaptable, and ready to embark on a new task at a moment’s notice. One minute you’re on the phone with a journalist, the next you’re knee-deep in research on construction materials. It’s always nice looking at the day ahead and seeing that you’re not going to be trudging down the same path the whole time.

My major undertaking this week was a case study on a building project in London that involved one of our clients. First, I had to read all about the history of the project, the tools and materials used. Then I spoke to some of the people working on the development, to get further details and a greater understanding of how and why certain things were done. Finally, I got to write up the case study itself, condensing everything into a clear, concise piece. Getting to see the task through from start to finish was very satisfying, and considering that I’ve been here barely ten days, an example of the trust that KISS places in you from the beginning.

It’s also an example of how much work goes into things that, before KISS, I saw simply as a part of daily life. That press release you see about a new food product, the one that gets you salivating ever so slightly? It wasn’t just thrown together: it was the result of hours of dedicated work, spanning a network of relationships and skills, in order to get the best possible end product. Seeing this first-hand gives you a new appreciation for how much time, effort and expertise goes into achieving effective PR.

So it’s been another productive, insightful week. I’m sure next week will be the same, even though the work will undoubtedly be different.