new hire Archives - Clairemont Communications

Finding PR in a Pandemic

June 11, 2021January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, The Clairemont Teaminternship, new hire, PR Intern, Storytelling, writing

Similar to many college students, I work in the restaurant industry. Over the years I have been asked so many questions that I have learned not to be surprised by anything. Sometimes I get wrapped up in a conversation with a customer who wants to know everything about me, where I go to school and what I want to do with my life. The one question that never fails to surprise me is “Why are you studying communication at a STEM school?”

The question is fair, especially if the person asking knows NC State for its College of Engineering or athletics. Therefore, in my time at State, I have made it my responsibility to work hard to debunk the stereotype that you need to be focused on STEM at a mostly STEM school. My experience as a communication student has been the perfect balance of challenge and opportunity, and here’s why.

Finding Opportunities

When I came to NC State in the fall of 2018, I found my place in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, studying communication. While I had no idea what was ahead of me, I did know that I only wanted to take the bare minimum of math and science classes! I would have traded my Geology 101 class (which was NOT “rocks for jocks” like I had been told), a five-minute walk from where I lived, for the trek across campus to the Court of North Carolina for my communication, journalism and English classes any day.

Then, in spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. I was finishing up my sophomore year coursework at my parents’ house, grieving what might have been a summer traveling or a high-profile internship, and scrambling to find something productive to fill my time. Spring 2020 reminds me of the restaurant slang “in the weeds.” The phrase is used to describe getting behind on a busy night, and at the time, that was exactly how I felt. In hindsight, I’m sure most everyone felt this way. But I was able to channel my “work harder” mentality inspired by a STEM school environment to help find opportunities in a doomed situation. I stayed connected to campus by writing for NC State’s student newspaper, Technician, and attending virtual events with my PRSSA chapter. When both organizations were seeking leadership for the next school year, I was ready to apply!

I couldn’t have imagined that some of my most influential experiences yet at NC State would occur during this time.

In May 2020 I was hired as a news editor for Technician and elected to the board of our PRSSA chapter. Two irreplaceable experiences I don’t believe would have been possible if everything was “normal.” Both the newspaper and PRSSA taught me more about what I wanted to do with my career than any summer internship could. I planned virtual events, networked and recruited new members to campus organizations in a time when most students were desperate for a connection to campus life. I helped lead a student newspaper through a pandemic entirely through Zoom calls while simultaneously becoming a stronger writer, student and leader. And, believe it or not, I was still able to make the most out of a summer in a pandemic!

The PRSSA E-board during our first-ever virtual ‘PR Day’ networking event in November 2020.

Joining Clairemont

While I was proud of the work I was doing, I learned that I didn’t want to be a news journalist. Inspired by my experiences with PRSSA, I decided I wanted to intern at a PR agency.

To anyone who asks me why I study communication at a STEM school, the answer is “why not?” The relationships and experiences I have gained at NC State have led me to so many opportunities, including finding Clairemont Communications.

Joining the Clairemont team this summer is the next exciting step on my career journey. I am eager to work alongside the Clairemont team and clients, gain industry knowledge and build confidence as an aspiring PR professional. Thank you, NC State, for getting me here, I wouldn’t have it any other way!

By Clairemont intern Anna Beth McCormick, a senior at NC State University.

Books, Backpacking and B2C

January 29, 2021January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternBlog, Professional Development, The Clairemont Teaminternship, new hire, PR Intern, Storytelling, writing

I grew up with my head in the clouds, and my nose in a book.

Books were my way to learn about faraway places and fascinating people. Before I discovered that I had a passion for traveling, books were my way to fly around the globe without leaving my living room.

As I got older, I began to wonder how I could build a future out of an affinity for words. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to do much soul searching to find the perfect fit. Being the Tar Heel born-and-bred that I was, the second that I learned about UNC’s nationally top-ranked Hussman School of Journalism and Media, I was sold.

*I promise that this face doesn’t reflect my love of being a Tar Heel!*

Stumbling upon PR

In the fall of 2017, I entered the Hussman School planning to study journalism. In the spring I took a PR class as an elective and instantly fell in love. I realized that while I love to write, I love the strategy and planning that goes behind PR campaigns just as much. Writing to further strategic goals? Hello, dream job!

Over my (almost!) four years at UNC, I’ve been fortunate enough to study abroad twice and visit 11 countries, all while earning the degree of my dreams. While studying in Sydney, Australia in the fall of 2019, I gained great first-hand PR experience on a global scale by interning with boutique PR firm Hollinshead Communications.

At Hollinshead, I dipped my paintbrush into many buckets including working on influencer marketing campaigns and event launches. I also got to work with some amazing clients, my favorite being American Express.

*An open-air cinema event I helped plan and execute for client AmEx.*

Choosing Clairemont

Even before I decided to apply to a job with Clairemont, I had admired the firm’s work for quite some time. However, it wasn’t until my interview that I knew Clairemont was the right fit for me.

At the time, I was nearing the year-and-a-half mark of working as a communications intern for UNC-Chapel Hill’s Information Technology Services (ITS). I loved every second of my internship but knew that it was time to step out of my comfort zone and try something new.

At ITS, I was trusted to work on many different projects, from writing blogs and social media posts to editing videos and taking professional headshots. Because of this experience, I wanted to find the opportunity to continue producing meaningful work in my next internship.

During my interview with Clairemont, I instantly fell in love with the girl-boss atmosphere at the firm. It was also clear that I wouldn’t be expected to fill my time with coffee grabbing, but would get to exercise my creativity on client projects.

I am ecstatic to join the Clairemont team and learn more about PR every step of the way.

By Clairemont intern Anne Claire Foreman, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill.

My First 30 Days at a Raleigh PR Agency: Days 1 and 2

June 1, 2012January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Raleigh PR Agencyaccount coordinator, co-workers, entry-level PR job, entry-level PR position, first day of work, first-time employee, new employee, new hire, PR Agency, Public Relations12 Comments

Well, the tassel on my cap has been turned, my W2 forms filled out and my first days of work at a Raleigh PR agency are officially over. What all did I learn in the first 48 hours on the job? A lot, actually.

There were some administrative tasks to attend to, like getting my own set of office keys, learning my daily to-do list and filling out paper work. And, then there were the more sentimental/emotional/personal lessons to learn, like the deeper and deeper realization that I really like it here.

I loved the people (and dogs – shout out to Billy and Charlie) at Clairemont immediately. When I first met Dana last year, I knew I could see myself at her agency, and when I met Josie the following week, the deal was sealed. I withdrew from the interviewing process at a big PR agency in Raleigh and officially joined a small PR agency team as Clairemont’s spring intern.

Now, fast forward to today, and my decision to chose Clairemont only seems that much more brilliant. I’ve moved on from part-time intern to full-time employee, and I can’t picture myself working anywhere else.

And, that is my most important lesson from these first two days. For anyone out there looking for a job, this is my advice: Who you work with is way more important than where you work. Here’s why.

Graduating, leaving my student status behind and taking on a full-time job was a huge transition. My personal identity had been tied to being a student for so long that I felt a little lost without that categorization. But, these past couple days made me realize that losing my identity as a student was just part of the process of making room for an identity that was way better – being a Clairemont-er. These people are awesome, and I’m one of them now.

At the end of my first day, my friend (who started her job the same day) sent me a text, “A lot less worse than I thought…you?” She’s right; the first day wasn’t bad at all. But, I would love to reword that text to: “Even better than I thought it could be.”

Starting your first day of work should be a little nerve-wracking. But, at Clairemont it just felt natural and easy, and I can’t attribute that to anything other than the people working here. Where else could you walk into work on your first day and have a vase of pink tea roses on your desk? Or a ton of pink markers and sticky notes? Or a pink keyboard cover (are you catching a theme here? I like pink…)?

Dana and Josie know me too well and that’s been part of my first lesson in the real world at a Raleigh PR agency– these are people who want me around, and who I want to be around. Yeah, your first day of work could feel like work, but it shouldn’t have to feel like a chore. Work doesn’t feel like work when you enjoy what you are doing…or, more importantly, if you enjoy who you are working with each day.