Parachuting v. PR: What’s the Difference?
I often wonder what made me decide to pursue a career in public relations.
It seems like only yesterday that I sat in Mrs. Shipley’s kindergarten class waiting impatiently in line (people with last names that begin at the end of the alphabet know this feeling) for my turn to share my career aspirations with the class. Several “firemen” and “doctors” later, I finally had the chance to announce to the world: “I want to jump out of airplanes when I grow up.”
I realize now that this rather lofty goal is impractical for more than one reason – namely my crippling fear of heights and the obvious unsustainable nature of that type of position. However, it’s worth noting that the five-year-old me was on to something. Surprisingly, PR and parachuting have something in common: an element of uncertainty and exhilaration.
Studying the industry at UNC-Chapel Hill (GO HEELS!) and interning with local organizations have shown me that working in PR almost always guarantees the excitement and engagement I sought after back when I thought being paid to jump out of airplanes was a viable career move.
PR practitioners serve as communication intermediaries and are in the business of storytelling. As such, PR professionals must always be on their toes, ready to implement the next best idea to build and reinforce relationships between organizations and the publics that support them every day.
As I look towards the fall, I am incredibly excited to begin the next stage of my career path by interning at Largemouth Communications. Working with the Largemouth team will provide an awesome work environment – where no two days are the same – and a chance to develop my craft by learning from some of the best and brightest professionals in the industry.
- Justin Wolz
