Category: Entry-Level PR Job

The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 30 – #favmoments

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Raleigh PR Agency, ,

Today is my 30th day! Woohoo! Although I thought I would have a serious sense of relief when I finished my ever-present responsibility of daily blogging, I have appreciated the experience of sharing my work days on the blog.

For 30 days, I have learned the ropes at Clairemont, and I am thrilled to share my top moments with you today.

My favorite moments at Clairemont to date: (Cheesy, but they make me grin.)

  1. Walking in on my very first day and meeting Mrs. Hughens with a smile. I was greeted with a brand new desk, a Macbook and pink accessories. I was at the first day of my first job, and I felt special.
  2. Learning all of the new apps I would be using each day. In undergrad, I only used Apple for editing in my sound and video production classes. Receiving my Macbook was confirmation that this was a fresh start.
  3. Learning about each of the clients and what my role would be on each account.
  4. Meeting Mrs. Hughens’ dog, Billy. He is a sweetie pie, and rubbing him in the office brings joy to my day.
  5. Learning how to take the initiative on my assigned tasks. I have learned to go the extra mile when researching accounts and client work.
  6. Getting a sweet treat from PDQ–the new seasonal shake, Toffee Coffee.
  7. Collaborative learning in the office. Since the office setup is so cozy, we get a chance to talk each day. If I have a quick question, there is no problem asking for help from Sarah or Cherith.
  8. The expertise of my boss. In our conversations over the past 30 days, I have had multiple opportunities to ask her opinion or counsel, and these mini lessons have given me invaluable information to help with my start in PR.
  9. The team. Every day I get the chance to work with an amazing, supportive group. I think we could conquer the PR world.
  10. My first field trip with the team. On our recent new business pitch out of the office, I got a chance to be a part of the meeting. Not only did I get the opportunity to talk to the prospective client, but I also got to sing for them!
  11. My special Valentine’s Day chocolate heart from Mrs. Hughens. I think the best part about my job is knowing that my boss cares. That’s what makes it a joy to come into work.

What was your favorite blog moment of mine?

Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.

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The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 29 – Snow Day

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, The Clairemont Team, , , ,

The winter advisory has the Clairemont team bundled up in our respective households. Today, I realized how valuable it is to have good communication with colleagues and a positive team spirit. I think teams that perform well are shown to have more positive interactions than negative ones.

I think that this reigns true on a day like today for the Clairemont team. Even though we aren’t physically together, we have spent the entire day corresponding via email and text message to stay alert on important tasks and serve our client needs. Since your workplace is where you devote countless hours of your life, getting along and working efficiently with your colleagues is imperative.

With a list of tasks for today, I set out to finish a few projects. With the  InSpire Awards‘ early bird deadline tomorrow, the team is putting together our best entries for submissions. With all of the hustle and bustle of deadlines around the office, the importance of a positive team spirit has never been more necessary. Since I wasn’t a part of the team for some of the projects being submitted for awards, I have spent most of my day putting together photo albums and media coverage reports for the awards. This requires me to be able to juggle multiple tasks at once and train my brain to quickly toggle between accounts.

The realization of how much work goes into one account amazed me. I realized while putting together coverage reports just how much goes into making sure events go seamlessly and smoothly. The team took a divide-and-conquer approach so that everyone would be able to accomplish equal amounts of work and not feel like they were responsible for more than they could handle as an individual.

So, how can you shape a successful team? Knowing that trust and respect are vital components for building relationships in the workplace, you should commit to cultivate both. You can create positive collaborations in the office by offering more praise, smiles and high fives.

How do you define a good team?

Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.

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The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 28 – #prjobtips

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Raleigh PR Agency, , , ,

On my 28th day in the PR world, I decided to list a few of the things that I have learned.

Top 9 PR tips I have learned from working at Clairemont:


1) Use social media as tools. Gaining more followers for our clients is a daily task for me and social media has the power to gain meaningful exposure for our clients.

2) Use links, keywords, and SEO to optimize blog posts. It is important to add in a quick tag or keyword to our posts. Hopefully, this will help to maximize the visibility of Clairemont’s blog.

3) Save your drafts, every single time. In order to avoid losing a hard day’s work, I try to save every few minutes. Saving my work ensures that the files will be around in case of a freak accident.

4) Develop an eye for details. Proofreading is the most important thing to do before hitting the send button. In order to avoid miscommunication or utter embarrassment, I often ask a colleague to help me.

5) Brush up on your phone communications skills. Everyday I have the opportunity to talk to potential clients and vendors for events. A positive tone and clear enunciation is key during a conversation.

6) Read the newspaper, every day. At Clairemont, we receive the paper daily. I think that reading up on current events and watching the news regularly are essential when working in PR to stay in the know and to help come up with creative ideas for clients.

7) Be enthusiastic about putting in additional time at work. Sometimes, PR can call for a little extra time out what many would consider normal office hours. Working in this 24/7  field requires a flexible attitude and the realization that oftentimes projects come to life outside of the office.

8) Teamwork matters, so love your colleagues. The best part about Clairemont has to be the positive collaboration of the team. Since I am in a room full of so much diverse experience and backgrounds, I get the opportunity to soak in so much information.

9) Be proactive with your client work. I have learned from my colleagues that it is important to anticipate client needs. I watch as they make sure every detail is ironed out for our clients,  ask “what might be next?” and plan accordingly.

What are some of the things you learned at your first job?

Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.

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The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 27- New Biz

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, , , , 2 Comments on The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 27- New Biz

The Clairemont team is always on the go. With coffees in the morning, lunch meetings in the afternoon, and business meetings in the evening the team has a lot on its plate. Since I am still relatively new to Clairemont, I haven’t had the opportunity to have many trips out of the office. My days are spent engulfed in client work including research, social media planning and media coverage reports.

Yesterday, I got to attend my first meeting with a potential client, and happy doesn’t begin to describe my feelings about it. We “suited up” for the occasion and ironically all of our outfits coordinated. Although we didn’t plan it, I think cosmically our closets were intertwined. We all showed up wearing a shade of  Marsala – Pantone’s color of the year.

At the meeting, I had the chance to talk directly to the potential client. I started with a short anecdote about the backstory of how Mrs. Hughens sent me the offer for my very first job. I told them all about how she inquired about my favorite color and birthday. I was honored and impressed that she took the time to ask and make little old me feel so special.

I explained how that attention to detail is the Clairemont difference. Not only do we take the time to make sure the work is done right, we also strive to ensure that the work we do takes each account to the next level. The potential client thanked me for sharing and said that it aided in the decision making process.

Mrs. Hughens asked me to sing to close out the meeting. I hurriedly decided to sing Mariah Carey’s “Hero.” I think the lyrics describe Mrs. Hughens as the hero of Clairemont. With her expertise, new and existing clients can find the strength to carry on in their company.

Here is the snippet of what I sang:

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you’ll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in us (Clairemont)

I know it’s awful redundant, but everyday I realize this job is perfect for me. Sure, I have a copious amount to learn about PR, but I am confident in my aptitudes and where I fit in this team. I hope we receive good news about this account, but if not at least we know the team made a lasting impression.

Sometimes, being successful is simply the joy in knowing how you made someone feel. So my first “field trip” went well and I am looking forward to the day where I am off to new business coffees and lunches on my own.

Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.

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The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 26 – Valentine’s Day

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, The Clairemont Team,

Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love. Whether you and your partner are keen on the holiday or not, it’s a good excuse to celebrate love. If you don’t have any ideas for this weekend don’t worry! The Clairemont team brainstormed a few inventive ideas that might make your life a little bit easier. Let us help you navigate through the pressure with a little creativity.

Valentine’s Day survival guide from Clairemont:

1) Focus on the food. Fondue is a romantic, hands-on dish that you and your sweetheart can prepare together.

2) Create the movie theater ambiance at home. Don’t feel like being bothered? Grab your favorite pillows and snuggle with your honey on the couch.

3) Get the card now. The selection of Valentine’s day cards has drastically declined already. Don’t be the person that has to cross out “Grandma” for “Wife.” Paper Buzz is a great place to start, and it’s local.

4) Give them a sweet treat. Our clients are offering sweet deals across the Triangle. PDQ is offering a free cookie with a purchase of lunch. What a great end to any meal. If lunch isn’t what you have in mind, pop into one of three Triangle DQ locations and pick up a super sweet custom “Cupid Cake.”

5) Make a custom CD or playlist. Music is a great way to remind your significant other of how much they are loved.

Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.

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