My primary role is to support the Account Manager (AM) and Senior Account Manager (SAM) with the day-to-day running of client accounts. Much of this work is journalist-based. I find out what topics journalists are writing about, pitch our clients where relevant, write press briefing sheets and track the published coverage. On the administrative side, I write the monthly reports for clients and keep all our events, contacts and subscriptions databases up to date.  

I spent a year after university travelling around South East Asia and taught English in Costa Rica as part of a TEFL project. My biggest challenge was making the English lessons stimulating and creative for the class of 16 -18 year olds to keep them engaged in the subject. This tested my organizational and time management skills and sometimes, my sanity, to the maximum!

These experiences have been invaluable to me at Cognito. Many of the accounts, which I work on with the AM and SAM, are global accounts which means our clients are based in different countries, different time zones and looking to get coverage across the globe. I monitor coverage in the global media, clip it and send it to the client as well as researching trends where they might be able to comment. This is one of things that I find so exciting about PR; you work at the forefront of international economic and political challenges, and by working so closely with your account team and senior media consultants at Cognito, you learn how these impact your clients and how best to position them in the media.

One of the best aspects about joining Cognito at graduate entry level is that you are supported in learning new things whilst drawing on your skills base. You quickly see the results of your work; for example, spotting the article on Reuters for the client for whom you secured the interview.  As the firm is expanding, with an office just recently opened in San Francisco, there is an opportunity to add something, to help it grow and for your efforts to be noticed and appreciated.