What does a typical day in the life of an Account Executive look like?
This sounds cliché, but there isn’t really a typical day. Generally, a day might involve calling journalists to secure coverage, monitoring the news for anything your team and clients should be aware of, like industry changes and new regulation etc, and keeping track of any coverage you and your team have secured. However, on other days you might be planning an event, writing content for magazines, and taking journalists for lunch – it’s pretty varied!
What three skills do you think are essential to fulfil your role?
You have to be really organised, as there is a lot to keep track of. Some tasks need doing every few hours, others once a week or once a month, plus anything ad-hoc that comes in, so organisation is key. Second, you have to be calm. Like any job, from time to time it can feel like there’s too much to do and too little time, but if you can stay calm, be transparent about your time with your teams, and not fall apart, you’ll always be able to manage. Third, you need to be fearlessly creative. Not necessarily in an art and design kind of way, just bring a new perspective to the table, don’t be embarrassed to suggest new things or silly ideas.
What do you like best about working at Edelman?
It’s definitely the people. At least once a week I meet someone in the office whose experience and intelligence blows my mind, and they’re all super friendly too. It’s a great environment both for learning from your colleagues and also making good friends.
What are some of the challenges you face in your day-to-day role?
I’m a pretty rigid planner, which means when something time sensitive and unexpected pops up, I can feel totally derailed. But luckily, you’re never alone, your line manager and your team can always help you rearrange your time.
Describe Edelman in three words.
Fast-moving (that’s one, right?), impressive, and busy.
What’s been your most memorable moment at Edelman so far?
Probably drinking champagne on the roof of the O2 Arena for an account team away day.
What’s your favourite part of a working day?
The first hour when everyone is arriving, you’re just getting into the day and catching up with everybody
How do you stay motivated?
I keep a folder in my emails where I save positive feedback, and when I need some motivation I read back through some of it. Plus, I really enjoy seeing coverage go live that I’ve secured – it feels good!
Did anything surprise you when you joined Edelman?
I expected a really rigid, structured, corporate environment. In reality, everybody is friendly, I’m not tied to a desk, there are always places you can stretch out to work, and plenty of fun going on.
Finally, how do you see your career path developing in the future?
I had a really weird route into PR while I worked out what I wanted to do with my life, but now I’m here I’m pretty sure I’ll be in PR for the foreseeable future. Ideally, I’d like to spend some time abroad one day, so hopefully my career will give me the opportunity to work in some international teams.
