I’ve been at Spool for almost one year. After an extended internship, and a few months at the Account Coordinator level, the opportunities for growth have been plentiful. The time afforded to me for professional development granted me the chance to look back at what I’ve learned, to look at where I am now, and to look ahead to where I hope to go.
What aspects of your journalism background help you the most in PR/at Spool?
• I’ve spent the last four years of my life analyzing content from both the reader and the journalist perspectives and a lot of it directly translates into the work we do here at Spool. I’ve been fortunate enough to contribute to various teams here and use all parts of my degree as well as my certification in social media. It really all ties together in PR in a way I could have never imagined. Learning to think like a journalist pushes my media pitching forward, anticipating social media trends creates opportunities for insight that can be shared with clients and the relationships I’ve formed at Spool elevate my learnings to a whole new level. My background also gives me the chance to dig deeper where we need more data and develop my problem solving skills.
How do you typically start your day at Spool? How do you like to finish your day at Spool?
• I usually start my days with my little media trinity: Marketing Dive, Retail Dive, Social Media Today. After that, I catch up on emails and Slack messages before I map out my day with a checklist. When my days come to a close, I double check the outlets and check to see if I have any outstanding messages or requests before I draft my checklist for the next day. I’ve been working on separating my work and personal time, so I’ll make sure my various platforms are muted until the next day’s working hours.
What is your favorite part of PR?
• My absolute favorite part of PR is just how expansive the industry is. There are no limits to the work you perform and there’s a niche for everyone. My work at Spool varies greatly from that of my peers in PR despite us having the same background and qualifications. There’s so much room for growth, too, so if you’re ever feeling stuck, give it five minutes and there’s likely been a development in some aspect of the industry.
Who would you say is your biggest inspiration?
• I’m not sure that I have just one person I pull inspiration from. I’m surrounded by so many people that excel in their fields and have a passion for their work, their hobbies or other commitments. My family has pushed me in my academics, work ethic and critical thinking while my peers have shown me what success can look like in an industry with such fluidity.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What do you hope to have accomplished?
• In 5 years I hope to have gained more stability. It’s a very broad goal, but after experiencing college, internships and life through a pandemic, I’m hoping the dust can settle a bit.
If you weren’t in PR what would you be doing?
• Prior to college, I was considering going into early childhood education, but that quickly changed once I found just how many other things there were within journalism. I strongly considered pursuing a Masters degree in computer science last year, so I think I would still be following that.
How would you describe your perfect work day?
• I don’t have an ideal work day just given the nature of the work here at Spool. Some of my days are heavier than others in terms of meetings and assignments, but sometimes the heavier days work out better than the lighter ones or vice versa. It really all comes down to how engaged I am with the work and if the content challenges me to go further.
What is your favorite memory since joining Spool?
• I’ve been working remotely states away for almost a year now, so my memories of Spool are fairly limited outside of my computer screen. If I had to pick, being able to visit the office in-person would rank higher up there, but I do enjoy getting to catch up with my fellow Spoolers in meetings before we get to the business side of things.
Spool has been the perfect starting point for me. My transition from a college student to a young working professional could have gone either way, but Spool guaranteed that it only went up.
Best,
Jack
