Shooting for the stars in the PR cosmos: Justine's start at Laika
Hello everyone, I'm Justine and recently started my journey toward the PR cosmos.
I’m a communications and PR student at the Berlin Campus of the International University of Applied Sciences, as part of a dual study program. This means I'll be studying while actively working in the field, to gather some first-hand experience.
Although this way of studying felt a bit foreign at first, especially since I had studied theater at a public university earlier, it's very engaging! Generally speaking, my interests are very creative. I like to sew and read a lot. Since it's important to me to talk about things I enjoy, I decided to start a book club with friends, a bit over a year ago. We meet monthly and it's so much fun!
Before starting with Laika, I gathered some experience in social media marketing elsewhere. Soon enough, I figured out that I'd like to work in PR specifically. Therefore, Miriam, who is also a working student at Laika, recommended the crew to me. Following that, I decided that I really wanted to give it a shot and applied for a working student position that would support me throughout the rest of my studies. The process was very quick, but I still met many of my future coworkers prior to starting. Here at Laika, there is a heavy emphasis on including everyone in important decisions, and that includes recruitment.
Starting out as a new crew member went pretty smoothly. Right from the start, I was introduced to all the basics and whenever I reached out to the others for help, I was met with friendly reactions and helpful advice. When there’s a certain element of fun to your job, that's very enriching. Fun is guaranteed here, especially when there are so many fun personalities at work, within the team. Observation: Fun and professionalism work hand in hand together, like two really good friends!
Within the first week, I was assigned to write my first ever byline, with Miriam. While it was challenging, it was also great not to overthink it and just get started. As it turns out, being simultaneously challenged and supported is the fastest way to learn new things!!
Speaking of new things, I was included in a brainstorming session for a sustainable beauty brand and already participated in my first pitching workshop here at Laika. This was especially valuable to me, because I had very little pitching experience prior to this. The first pitch I've ever written—and I wrote it within my first week, was for a big social media client and a bit intimidating at first. Luckily, I wasn't alone with this, as we work with the 4-eyes system—there is always an extra pair of eyes that looks over your work before it goes to the client. Not only does this ensure quality and prevents mistakes, it also takes the pressure off.
Since there are so many facets to PR, I'm very excited and curious to see what else is in store for me! I know I still have a lot to learn, but with the Space Dogs by my side, I’m feeling confident that I've got this!