Name: Georgie Chan
Age: Not 30 yet
Job title: PR Account Manager
Time in current role: Almost a year
Georgie is an account manager at Publicis Resolute.
How did you land your current job?
What are the key functions of your role?
In a nutshell my role as an Account Manager is to make sure the right thing happens at the right time within the agreed budget while still making sure the work we deliver is truly creative and meets the client’s ask. It sounds straightforward but when you’re working in a big team and dealing with multiple clients and vendors on a tight budget it’s no easy task keeping everything in order.
That said, the beauty of it all is that I’m able to try different things. The company I work for specialises in medical education and PR, and we provide strategic consultation to a wide range of healthcare organisations. Medical education and PR might not seem like two disciplines that mix well, so what makes us great is that we know how to marry the two.
My day can range from selling a breaking story to journalists to writing budgets all afternoon and then organising a medical symposium at a global conference attended by thousands of doctors. No two days are the same here, and as long as you ask, you can get involved in things that you’ve never tried before.
Talk us through your typical day at work
As I said no two days are the same here, but I can tell you what my day looked like today. I attended our monthly breakfast meeting first thing in the morning — the eggs and bacon bagels were a great start! The rest of the day was pretty PR and comms heavy. I received a client email asking us to work on a press release that’s due in a week, which kicked off a series of team meetings, frantic budget drafting and media list preparing.
I took a break for lunch at around 1pm. I didn’t use the whole hour because of the line of work waiting for me at my desk, but that didn’t stop me from sitting on the sofa with my colleagues enjoying a bowl of hot soup.
Then in the afternoon I spent a couple of hours developing communications for one of our clients’ internal campaigns. I also performed some of my line management duties, making sure our junior colleagues are taken care of and are feeling happy and satisfied in their roles.
How would your colleagues describe you in three words?
Funny, brutal(ly honest), dedicated.
Your favourite part of the job?
I like writing a lot so that’s the part I often enjoy the most. I get to write newsletters, blog posts, storyboards, scripts, creative briefs…there are all sorts of opportunities as long as you’re happy to take them on.
I also like line managing and mentoring junior colleagues. I love that feeling when you’re passing on your experience and helping others flourish and discover their potential. I have a good mentor myself who is great at encouraging me to do things that are out of my comfort zone and it’s exactly what I’d like to do with the colleagues I line manage and mentor.
…and the part you could do without?
My greatest fear is public speaking, especially in front of big crowds. However, my workplace recognises that everyone needs a little support to tackle their weaknesses, so a lot of courses and training are available for us.
Plans for the future?
My personal belief is that no one can stay happy in one role for too long – that’s why you should always keep a look out for the next challenge and the next big opportunity!
I just had my end-of-year review and am in the process of drafting my professional goals for 2018. I have a clear picture of what I’d like to work on and exactly what I need to achieve to move up the career ladder – the Senior Account Manager role doesn’t seem too distant after all.
Do you have any advice for others aspiring to break into your field?
To succeed you have to want it. I’m not going to lie – this industry is a lot of hard work, and it takes dedication and commitment. Sometimes it means putting in the long hours or sacrificing your weekends. So as I said, you just have to want it. Once you have that drive, everything else just falls into place. LLY
