#pn internship

[pnintern]

Getting to Know the Network: PN Boston

Here in the Boston office we work with some extremely high-powered clients, so our days are almost always packed with calls, team meetings, planning sessions and of course, time spent delving into our individual assignments. Boston has become one of the most prominent healthcare and technology innovation centers in the country, and the fact that there is so much progress being made in this city is reflected in our office’s focus on the healthcare and technology industries. By working with clients who are making significant advances in these fields, we are able to witness first-hand the positive, wide-spread impact of public relations. The work we do in this business is diverse, so every day is a little different. When joining Porter Novelli, (PN) we never expected to learn so much about deep tech or new healthcare applications, but that’s part of the appeal of PR— you come to expect the unexpected.

Expectations & Office Community

When we joined PN Boston, we thought our workdays would be organized like the classes we are taking at Boston University: you arrive, are given a list of things to do and then set about completing those tasks. In reality, the work we do is collaborative, engaging and subject to change at any moment. If you asked me to give one piece of advice about working in the PR industry, it would be this: be light on your feet. Always be prepared to switch gears and start on another task. Since you cannot spend the entire day on a specific assignment, help and feedback from your colleagues is essential.

The same day we started at PN Boston, we were assigned to client-specific teams. These client teams have taught us that the work we do on a daily basis is part of a much larger mission: to change behavior for the better. At the same time, our office is on the smaller side so it’s very close-knit here in that we all help and support each other. We are able to update everyone on the work we are doing, whether it is participating in the Rising Star competition (shout-out to Molly!), inviting the office to the brewery event you planned for a client, or keeping the team informed on a big pitch. No matter how large the task at hand, at Boston PN it never seems daunting because there are so many people willing to help you be successful.

 Just for Fun

Although our days are filled with hard work, PN Boston doesn’t forget how important it is to let our hair down once in a while. Working at PN Boston is enjoyable for many different reasons, but there is one that stands head and shoulders above the rest: a lot of our activities involve food. Once a month we have “Crockpot Wednesdays,” when a group of us get together and create a crockpot meal for the office. For the October Crockpot Wednesday, we had some delicious pulled pork burritos prepared by one of our fearless leaders, Andrew MacLellan. Every Friday we are greeted by the smell of bagels and baked goods courtesy of the office, and sometimes the odd spontaneous candy delivery serves as the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. Our favorite Boston PN tradition, however, is our “Thirsty Thursdays,” which give us an opportunity to unwind and relax together at our own happy hour.

A few weeks ago, we were lucky enough to treat CEO Brad MacAfee and COO Nick Propper, along with the Executive Team, to one of these weekly happy hours. There was cheese, wine, and the opportunity to speak to some really incredible people who have had an enormous impact on making PN one of the most respected public relations agencies in the world. Getting to talk to such knowledgeable and passionate people was an invaluable experience, and as interns we were thrilled to be included. Through that experience, we learned just how aligned the culture of PN Boston is with PN as a whole: professional, hardworking and extremely supportive of all members of the team—even the interns.

All in All

PN Boston is a place where you work hard, learn a lot very quickly, and are able to enjoy the company of the people you work with. We rely on each other to produce high-quality work and to support our clients in every way possible. Curiosity and enthusiasm is rewarded, and honestly those traits come easily when you get to work with people who have made it their life mission to change the world for the better. Interning here has been a great experience thus far, and we look forward to learning even more throughout the course of the next few months.

- Raisa Acloque, Technology Practice Intern

- Sage Bierman, Technology Practice Intern

- Christy Wood, Technology Practice Intern

[pnintern]

Getting to Know the Network: PN London

Having a strong workplace culture isn’t something that can be conjured up from nothing and, as any seasoned public relations (PR) professional will know, good content is the basis of a compelling campaign. In London, a city awash with “fun”, “young” and “vibrant” agencies, spanning multiple industries from advertising to financial PR to digital marketing, an internship or grad role has to offer more than the promise of a “good workplace culture” to whip up enthusiasm.

Luckily, Porter Novelli (PN) London isn’t about platitudes. In fact, I don’t think I’ve come across one yet. The fabled drinks trolley, wellbeing benefits, lively colleagues and enthusiastic after-work drinks scene are certainly alive and well chez Bankside 2 (our shiny new home, stay tuned for more on this). However, workplace culture is built on something more fundamental. One of the things I’ve learned in my nine months here is that PN embodies a shared drive amongst like-minded people. Now bear with me here. Being a horribly typical English person, I don’t normally buy into the happy clappy slogans that accompany agencies on the lookout for bright new interns. But, PN’s mantra to ‘think higher’ is simple, it works and it underpins everything we do.

The Big Move

On a rainy afternoon in late May (I can’t be sure if it was actually raining, but you can usually count on it over here in London), our agency huddled together to be told some BIG news. We were moving across the river to set up new HQ in Bankside. As a newcomer at the time, ‘Bankside’ wasn’t a familiar term and the prospect of moving offices sounded like an awful lot of hassle.

However I soon learned that PN London was upping sticks to move on to bigger, brighter and (metaphorically and literally) higher things. Bankside is Omnicom’s flagship building in London, holding fifty plus agencies from a variety of different industries, all under the Omnicom umbrella. We’re now two floors down from fellow PR agency Fleishman-Hillard Fishburn, a stone’s throw away from our advertising colleagues at AMV BBDO and next door neighbors with C-Space, a customer engagement agency. Instead of hiding behind emails or occasionally picking up the phone, we can speak face to face with our Omnicom partners, helping us collaborate fiercely on campaigns, share expertise on clients and their customers and just chat over a cup of tea. By simplifying our everyday communications, we’ve added new vigor to our campaigns and made our workplace that bit more exciting.

Naturally, the big move was followed by a big party. Atop the seventh floor, our agency, clients and colleagues from across the globe came together to raise a glass (or three) to twenty years of PN London and to celebrate its next step. After sixteen years in the same place, the office move catalyzed new inspiration. Bankside is buzzing with creativity, we’re in the heart of the media industry and, with so many agencies under the same roof, collaborative opportunities are ripe and ready. And who could fail to think higher when you have panoramic views across London’s skyline?

Vision Day

I know what you’re thinking. If you’ve moved into one big cross-agency office, then how does PN London maintain a sense of individual identity? That may not have been exactly what you were thinking, but it’s a valid point.

Here at PN, collaboration isn’t just about cross-agency communication, it’s about working within our teams and across practices to come up with the best ideas, producing work we’re proud of. Being a cross-practice agency, we have multiple perspectives, with healthcare, tech, corporate, brand and digital teams all sitting under one roof. Yet sometimes imminent deadlines and force of habit get in the way of capitalizing on these additional sources of creativity.

One way in which PN London has made sure we’re collaborating whenever possible is through our Vision Day. This is an annual event where the whole team meets up in trendy East London to collectively come up with ideas on what we can do to improve.

This year, we got inspiration from a variety of industry speakers, learning how to use VR to create meaningful campaigns and how consumer research can shape a brand, and then we were off!  From creativity workshops to culture brainstorms (oh how we brainstormed), PN London came up with more ideas than you can shake a stick at. Look out for the ‘Wouldn’t it be cool’ box hitting our London offices and the introduction of ‘Tate Tuesdays’ (where we nip round the corner to the Tate Modern for a zinged-up brainstorm); it was abundantly clear that the agency certainly isn’t short of inspiration. 

Days like this aren’t just testament to what the team can do once we emerge from the safety of our desks; they also demonstrate the conviction behind our ‘Think Higher’ mantra. So much work and commitment went into this day and into the principles that make our workplace tick and we can already see some of our spontaneous ideas actually being integrated into the office. Lots of companies have away days but the energy and motivation that ran through ours was certainly unique.

The Think Higher Fund

Finally, thinking higher is about everyone as individuals. Whilst we’re all part of the PN London team and a part of the Omnicom network, bouncing off other people only works if you’ve got chops yourself. Luckily, thinking higher has its own fund, dedicated to providing us as individuals with the opportunity to do something to help us think higher.

Anyone working at PN London can apply for a grant – if you can explain how it helps you think higher, then chances are you’ll be able do it. In January this year, I’ll be starting a News Journalism course to think outside, around and above the box when pitching in stories to journalists. Simon from the Digital team is starting singing lessons to gain more confidence in big new business pitches (the idea being that if you can sing in front of others, speaking is a walk in the park). Initiatives like these not only demonstrate action taking place behind the face value of ‘think higher’, but a genuinely collaborative and supportive relationship across all levels in the company.

It’s difficult to sum up the essence of any agency in writing and it’s easy to be cynical when confronted with PR values flying in from all angles. It ultimately comes down to the adage that actions speak louder than words. For me, moving into a collaborative Omnicom HQ, taking ourselves away from our desks to think higher and paying for employees to go one step further outside of work speaks volumes about PN London’s workplace culture.

-       Lisa Cave, account executive, PN London

[pnintern]

Standing Out at the PN ATL 2016 Summer Intern Preview Event

You perfected your cover letter. You combed through your resume nearly a thousand times to ensure you did not miss an Oxford comma or misspell a single word. You reached out to your bubbly internship coordinator from last summer and austere professor from your PR research class to create the perfect combination of recommendation letters to showcase your experience. You pulled your best writing samples, including a hand-crafted pitch you are especially proud of because of the coverage you secured! It has all come down to this— the Porter Novelli 2016 Atlanta Summer Intern Preview Event.

I was in your shoes a year ago, and I remember where I was sitting when I glanced down at my email and realized I had an invitation to the preview event in my inbox. I immediately felt a rush of excitement and relief, but the questions began to pile up in my mind. What happens at this event? Who will I meet? How should I prepare?

First things first, congratulations. Receiving an invitation is a huge accomplishment! It is important to remember this is a very significant time in your professional career, and you have worked hard for this opportunity.  So, take a deep breath (and relax) while I outline the Porter Novelli Preview Event, and what I wish I would have known beforehand.

About the event

The Summer Intern Preview Event is a unique opportunity for intern candidates to experience the Atlanta Porter Novelli office culture firsthand. Candidates are provided with background information about Porter Novelli’s history, goals and values, followed by an overview of the internship program, practice areas and internship experience. Applicants will have an opportunity to ask questions, as well as network with the entire Porter Novelli Atlanta staff for an hour at the end of the event.

Come prepared

When you arrive at the preview event, come prepared with your portfolio and resume. Remember to conduct additional research about the Porter Novelli practice area you are most interested in (technology, consumer and health & social impact), as well as clients you would like to work with if selected for the internship. Bring questions with you to the event! This is a time for you to take a deep-dive into the everyday life of a public relations professional, and it is an amazing opportunity to get the answers you seek about what it is like to work in your field of interest.

Network, network, network

It might seem obvious, but networking is a critical part of the preview event. Candidates have the exciting chance to talk with everyone within the office, ask questions and experience the Porter Novelli culture firsthand. Make sure to take this opportunity to meet as many people as possible and make connections.

Have FUN

This event allows candidates to showcase themselves and picture what it is like to be in the Porter Novelli office. You were selected based on your skills and experience, but it is important to let your personality shine through. Remember to be yourself, and remember to have fun!

- Siarra Swalve, Porter Novelli Atlanta