Teamwork is the Dreamwork
They say success is best when its shared, and I can assure you since interning at Event and Conference Co I couldn’t agree more with this!
Thinking back to when I had my first job in year 9 as a Coles checkout assistant, I’ve had my fair share of working in a variety of different teams. It’s basically inevitable in this day in age to not work in a team environment at some point in your career. I’m a people’s person and so personally I’ve always loved working in this environment, collaborating with likeminded people and seeing an idea come to life. But it wasn’t until interning at Event and conference Co that I really saw the magic behind a team’s work and how it can really create something special.
Myself, Kayah, and Justine exploring on site at the Western Australia Fire and Emergency Services Sundowner
Being in the events management industry, it’s never going to be a one man show. From the event organiser, the client, to suppliers, and even event attendees, there are multiply parties which come together to ensure a successful event.
In most instances it takes months to prepare for an event, but in others the team willingly (and sometimes stressfully) take on a client just weeks out from the event date. Not matter the client, the timeframe, or even how busy the month could be, the team come together to successfully fulfil the clients wishes. But this couldn’t be possible without the amazing team at Event and Conference Co.
Since starting my internship in August, I have been lucky enough to be involved in 5 events. In the weeks leading up to the different events, the team and I at Event and Conference co would spend time communicating with clients, creating social content, organising merchandise and much more. Reflecting back, I remember when I walked into the office on the first day, I found it strange all the desks were open and facing one another in a single room (not like the offices you see on movies). But I quickly learnt this was vital in how the team worked and communicated with one another, and I ended up really enjoying being able to discuss things with the team so easily. On a regular day in the office, director of the company Rebecca, allocates everyone different tasks all of which help us prepare and successfully carry out the final events. Months of preparation for something which can sometimes only be a couple hours long. After completing the 5 different events so far, I have to say it is so worth it in the end when you look back and see it all come to life. The thankyous and smiles you get from attendees and also the client is priceless, and it makes all the blood, sweat, and tears so worth it!
Myself and Justine in the Event and Conference Co office
I would say the reason I felt so comfortable and became so close with the girls in the team, is because we had no choice but to get on and make things happen. They took myself and the other interns under their wing, giving us the opportunity to learn and grow and gain some really great experiences we will take with us in the future. I feel very lucky to have formed friendships and networks I will cherish for the rest of my career.
The Event and Conference Co team at WA Fire and Emergency Services Conference 2022
It’s More than a PR Gig
Ok, I’m not gonna kid you… this week there has been A LOT of hours vacuuming, sewing, and coordinating the coffee orders. And while at the time I was slightly frustrated (and a little bit exasperated) that I found myself sewing silver sequins on a tutu, upon reflection, this week I learnt more about the foundations of the business than I ever had before.
On Monday I was sitting at my desk, assigning tasks on Microsoft Planner for the company’s upcoming event, when Kortnie (head of costume department) burst through the door with a tower of costume boxes. “Do you need a hand?” I asked. A simple question landed me a trip to the company’s second studio, TDC Production House. This warehouse provides extra space for rehearsals, operates as a film and photography studio, and is the home for thousands of costumes in what’s called the “TDC Costume Lab.”
This picture is only a small portion of the costume lab. Kortnie says there are 700 costume boxes (and counting!)
Moments after receiving a tour of the lab, I found myself with a sewing needle and thread. I have to be honest, I was a little annoyed. I was so excited to continue my role in event management, and here I was surrounded by boxes of tutus. But it was from here that I spent a good few hours chatting away with the costume team, most of which I had never met before. I was learning about their roles in the business and how long they had been a part of the company, but also about their personal lives, bonding over our love of dance… and dogs! This strange turn of events gave me the opportunity to build new relationships, which as I have learnt throughout my time at Uni, networking is so important in the PR industry.
A day later, I was back at TDC Production House, only this time I was holding a vacuum, not a sewing needle. The Dance Collective was holding a social event for their year 11 and 12 dancers at the end of the week. Their photography studio was being transformed into an event space. This required an entire day, climbing up and down a ladder to hang fairy lights (which took an hour alone to detangle), vacuuming, wiping down bench tops, re-arranging furniture, and lugging 30 chairs up two flights of stairs, all by myself. It was a long day!
https://giphy.com/gifs/spongebob-3DnDRfZe2ubQc
While it wasn’t the event management I was used to (and let’s just say I don’t think I can be around another set of fairy lights ever again), it was refreshing being hands on for a change. Typing “set up event space” into Microsoft Planner is one thing, but actually being involved in the process gave me a whole new level of satisfaction, and a greater appreciation for what the other staff do.
My other odd jobs this week included stationary shopping, re-stocking apparel, and plenty of coffee runs. So how did any of this help to prepare me for a career in PR?
What this experience has taught me, is that PR is only one cog in the wheel. A business is built of many different people, all with diverse but important roles. Without each individual person contributing in their own unique way, the cogs won’t move and the wheel won’t turn. This week has shown me that my internship is more than just a PR gig. It doesn’t matter if you’re sewing sequins, vacuuming floors, or managing an event – each and every role is integral to the success of a business.
8 Lessons I learnt From Working At Events
Image: Medfest Event photographed by PS Smile Productions
I absolutely love events! You get to be creative, see your ideas come to life, experience the event day excitement and build your network. I was extremely fortunate to become an intern at Known Associates when they were in the midst of planning Medfest; a medical conference for students and junior doctors seeking a career in rural Australia. You can imagine how excited I was to be a part of this event, especially with so many events being postponed or cancelled due to the pandemic.
From being involved in the pre-event, during and post event stages, I was able to reflect on my experience and gain some valuable lessons about event management.
Here are eight things I learnt from my first event with Known Associates.
1. Always Bring Your Event Survival Kit
Every event manager needs an Event Survival Kit! It’s a container with essential items that you bring to all events, to ensure you are prepared for anything. For the most part, the event kit stays the same, but you can add items to it depending on the event.
Some items to include are:
- Scissors
- Batteries
- Different types of tape
- Paper clips and binder clips
- Sharpies
- Pens and pencils
- Ruler
- Clipboards
- Sanitiser
- Elastic bands
- Notepad
- Run sheet
A helpful tip I learnt was to not completely pack down the event kit after the event, so it’s ready to go for future events.
2. Have A Detailed Run Sheet
Do you remember writing run sheets in PR Techniques? Well, lucky for me we did! Having learnt the purpose and what they should include, I was able to easily understand and familiarise myself with the run sheet for Medfest. From this event, I learnt the event managers create two run sheets; one for the volunteers and the other for the event team. Expectedly, the event team run sheet was much more detailed with the suppliers contact information and the order of proceedings. In comparison, the volunteer run sheet only included information the volunteers needed to know; what’s happening when and where each person is assigned.
With the event team being so busy in the lead up to the event, they weren’t able to give me a thorough event briefing, so I had to take it upon myself to become familiar with the event proceedings. Afterall, there’s nothing more embarrassing then showing up to an event clueless!
3. Be On Time
Set your alarm ladies and gentleman! If they want you there for 7am, be there on time, or better, 10 minutes earlier. I had to wake up at 5am. Yes, 5am! I needed to allow enough time to get ready, accommodate for travel time and traffic. I’m not a morning person, so I found it very challenging to wake up early. However, arriving on time gave me an opportunity to settle in at the venue and breathe.
4. Teamwork Makes The Dreamwork
On the event day, I learnt quickly how important it was to take direction and work as a team to complete tasks quickly. At times, we even worked like an assembly line (literally!). Imagine a long table with lots of items laid out across it; brochures, pamphlets, note pads, pens, a keep cup and even a customised block of Lindt Chocolate. We each worked our way along the table and added the items into gift bags. We had 150 to do, so it could have easily been a disaster. But, we all followed a systematic process and worked together to get the task done promptly.
5. Every Public Event Should Include Indigenous Protocols
Does it surprise you that many event planners do not know what indigenous protocols they should include at events? This is something I learnt that is quite common in the industry. The acknowledgement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at public events is a sign of respect to the traditional custodians of this land. It’s not just about ticking the box! It’s important for all event planners to understand indigenous protocols and the order of proceedings to connect with Indigenous communities and help bridge the gap. This is an important point to keep in mind, particularly for anyone going into the events industry.
Image: Medfest Event photographed by PS Smile Productions
6. Events Don’t Have To Be Serious
Being a medical event, I assumed it would be quite a serious event with minimal entertainment. I mean could you blame me? Most events aimed at the medical or corporate sector aren’t typically exciting. In fact, they are quite mundane! But this was unlike any medical event I’ve seen. It was creative, fun and energetic with so much entertainment! Mini putt, extraordinary food and beverages, upbeat tunes, pin the mask on the doctor game, inspiring panel discussing and suturing workshops. This event challenged my perceptions and taught me that events don’t have to be serious. Events are about doing things differently and wowing your guests, and I definitely think this event exceeded expectations!
Image: Medfest Event photographed by PS Smile Productions
7. Events Don’t Always Have To Be Stressful
Most of the events I’ve been part of have been intense and quite stressful, even as a volunteer! There’s lots of running around, people asking you questions and giving you tasks that might be out of your comfort zone. To give you an example, back in 2016 I was a volunteer for the She Project Fashion Show. I didn’t really know much about what I would be doing and got a huge shock when one of the event coordinators asked me to make some runway decisions. It was quite daunting, especially because the event coordinator was intimating and I had no expertise in coordinating a runway. But wait, there’s more! Just when I thought there wouldn’t be any more surprises, I was asked last minute to assist with ticketing and ushering during the event. I was not dressed for front of house! Picture a simple black camisole and leggings; the typical backstage attire. I could go on about my past experiences, but the point is, being thrown into the deep end and having stressful moments is something I expect and believe is the norm in the events industry. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised how relaxed I felt at Medfest. Don’t get me wrong, I did have some fluster moments. But for the most part, it was surprisingly stress-free and really enjoyable.
8. Event Debriefs and Reports are Essential
The first working day following the event, we had an event debrief to discuss what did and didn’t go well. I didn’t realise the information we discussed becomes documented in an event report; one for the client and an in-house copy. For those of you that don’t know, the client and internal report have the same content, however, the in-house report also details areas of improvements and comments specifically related to the event team’s performance. This was a really great way to reflect and document the event outcomes, and help both the client and the event team improve future events.
I believe my experience with Known Associates has made me more opened and excited to pursue a career in the events industry. I am excited to work with the team on many more exciting projects, so stay tuned to hear about my experiences!
If you have any event tips or experiences you would like to share, I would love to hear them in the comments.
– Justine
Communication starts from the internal
Here starts my journey as an ‘internsheep’ adapting my life in the new shed at Italic Concept, which is a creative agency emphasize in marketing and advertising.
As expected, my internship kicked off with introductions to new colleagues, new workplace, new systems, and new corporate culture. Due to the nature as a Public Relations student, the internal communication became my main observation as we know the importance of employee relations as a stepping stone towards the success of individuals and of the company.
Frankly, I felt quite surprised that such a small company did utilize the software application of Time Tree and Trello as an effective method to communicate among the employees regarding work progress and appointments. The mobile version of both applications has further allowed us to keep updated with the work from time to time.
As I had experience using Slack app before, so it is relatively easy for me to get used to Trello. At Italic Concept, we use Trello as a checklist to manage our work progression with different cards created as shown in the diagram above. Thus, checking Trello every morning is a must for me to update myself with the progress of all tasks.
Of course, it also became a habit of me to check on Time Tree every morning before work. This aims to brief myself of what am I going to do today and for the following days as all our company-related events and appointments must be uploaded to the calendar for the notice of everyone. That inspired me to suggest my supervisor creating a social media calendar on Time Tree to schedule our clients’ and our company’s Facebook posts content in advance. That recommendation was highly supported by graphic designers as they can have enough time to manage their designs in order before due.
Related to that, calling each potential client from a list of almost 400 companies and making appointments with them has been one of my daily tasks. I know! It did sound like I am doing sales, but I also learnt some practical skills in terms of PR. Like PR, I also do online researches before making the pitch to the clients through the phone. Besides, high emotional quotient and critical thinking are also crucial to accept many denials and turn them into opportunities if possible.
In the nutshell, I learnt that the use of both apps can provide high time flexibility especially for those who pursuing work-life balance lifestyle and high transparency for the distribution of works. The cooperation with the designing team was also on the right track so far.
Since there is always a ‘but’, the conveniences mentioned above cause lower attendance of some of my colleagues in the office which eventually cause a lesser chance to discuss the projects with them face-to-face. Also, getting feedback from them can sometimes be time-consuming even through phone call or social media group.
Just like a coin with two faces, the usage of apps improves internal communication, but also cause some issues in employee relations. Thus, searching a balance between both is the prime factor for excellent employee relations.
Enjoy reading my blog? Stay tuned with me for more real-life PR discovery…
See you in the year 2020!
Corporate Culture
When deciding what I wanted to do with my career I knew I had one pre-requisite: that I had to love the environment I was in and I had to love the people that I worked with. I have known since the moment I left high school that I was the type of person who didn’t just want to sit behind a desk, 9am-5pm, with no work friends. That’s why when I found this internship I knew I was in the right spot.
Within my first few weeks working at DGPR I asked the managing director what he aims for his workplace to become, he told me he wants the office to be “Somewhere you want to come, something you want to be a part of and somewhere to enjoy.” That was the moment that made me realise I wanted to write this blog and I knew I had to wait to find out for myself what this statement really meant.
The office I have been working in is filled with banter, laughter and so many smiles. There is always music playing and there is a super flexible schedule. Some people would argue that this makes the office not corporate or too informal, however it has created so much respect between all levels of management that it pushes you to work harder, whilst still enjoying yourself.
Over the last few months I haven’t laughed so much or been so excited to go to work as I have for this internship. Both people that I work with directly have made me feel so included and comfortable. This has brought out the best not only in the work being done but also the amount of work that is getting done.
I was going to go over some situations where this amazing office culture has been proven, however there are too many to choose between. From morning coffees, many venue lunches, office karaoke and nights out, to the small things like checking up on how everyones lives are going, how the weekend had been and how our work is going.
One thing that I have realised is that the culture that has been created here really stimulates the best work possible from people. Not just because you are driven to worker harder for people but because it creates an environment open to constructive criticism. In an office where the truth is easy to be told, it means that critiques are often, which has not only developed many of my skills like writing and posts but also developed my skills on how to ask for help.
Many people try telling you that you will always have to work with people you don’t necessarily get along with, however I think there is always a place for someone where you will discover you fit and will love. That being said I am talking about the office, I can’t promise there won’t be some clients/work where you will have to go through some struggles.
I feel the most productive and passionate in a place where I am comfortable and enjoy being. This has driven me so much more over the past few months, reinforced my passion to be in the PR industry and made me realise how excited I am for my coming graduation.
This leads me to my final point, that if you aren’t doing what you love, in a place that you love, then maybe it is time for you to change things up. There is always a place in the workforce for everyone, so when you have found your passion, it is time to start looking for your perfect work family.
The Desk Surfer, Writers Block and an Unhealthy Starbucks Addiction
Week three crept up on me very fast, this internship has been flying by – which I believe is a great sign. However, I am sad that after this I only had one week left with my team. I have learnt so much already and can see how much of a positive impact an internship can have on a student; being taken out of my comfort zone has improved my confidence in my work and my abilities and has cemented that this is the industry I truly want to be a part of.
Starting the week I discovered that I am currently a record holder at the GO Offices, pretty impressive considering I have been only been here for ten days! The record is for… wait for it…. The most desk changes in the office, ever. As GO is currently expanding and renovating there have been a lot of changes in the office which have left me desk surfing for the last two weeks!
Finding a positive in this, it gave me so many different perspectives of the office and got me around all the teams at GO; which lead me to see the different kinds of PR services that GO offer to their clients. I hold the record of eight desk moves (with the potential for more!). It has become a bit of an inside office joke, being called the desk surfer, which is nice as it makes me feel like a part of the entire team at GO, not just my digital team!
Moving onto the actual intern experience of the week! With many of the digital teams clients pending approval for campaigns and content, it was a much slower start to the week.
I had spent the remainder of week two and the beginning of week three writing articles for the new GO Communications branded repository for LinkedIn and their website. I was thrilled to receive this responsibility, but, when each day had been spent drafting articles for feedback and waiting for the said feedback it can be draining and de-motivating.
One thing I am going to focus on today is finding motivation and inspiration when you have none. When writing there is nothing worse than staring at your screen with the cursor flashing and no words coming out; this happened to me one day this week.
I had to remind myself not to panic as I was ahead of schedule with the articles but did not want to fall behind in pushing them out for my supervisor or produce low quality work. This was a professional setting and although I am an intern, I wanted to make sure I was pushing out the work as I would if I were a full-time team member of the digital squad.
I’ve put together a couple of things I did to motivate and encourage myself when I hit this writer’s block. These are some things I did to push and motivate myself:
- Take a break – here at GO they encourage you to take five to refresh and clear your head if you aren’t feeling motivated. When I found myself in a tight spot where I was staring at my writing and realising nothing was flowing, I popped outside to recollect my thoughts and start fresh when I got back to the office. This worked well as sometimes you need to remove yourself from the situation, even for two minutes like I did to give yourself that boost of creativity and motivation.
- Don’t overthink – my last semester at university was spent writing many professional and structured reports, which is very different to writing short, conversational articles. I found that when I was getting unmotivated with my writing it was because I was overthinking and being too critical in what I was putting down on the page. I wasn’t letting the ideas come naturally, I was being too structured with myself; with my article sounding like a well researched, report style post.
- Just write – when I returned to the office after taking a couple of minutes I decided to change tactics and just write whatever came into my head. Although it meant I had a slightly longer word count it did mean that all my thoughts and ideas were on the page and I could easily edit, cull and refine them to match the tone and sound of the article. This worked well for me, especially as the articles required were in a conversational tone; having the thoughts come from my head made it more casual and easier to read.
After I did these things I found that the article was coming together quite nicely and after a couple of drafts I was able to send it off for review within the time period required, to determine if it required any further edits. Phew!
I concluded that writer’s block is a normal thing, especially when doing a lot of the same work in a short time period as the creative juices, ideas and motivation can sometimes come to a halt and leave you with an empty mind. By taking time out and re-evaluating you can flip that completely and give yourself the biggest burst of motivation to create an article that you are proud of.
Wrapping up from week three, the sadness and dread have kicked in that there is a week remaining of this internship. I know I will have left with more knowledge and understanding of the industry, amazing relationships and a new-found Starbucks addiction (it’s a problem, a serious problem).
See you next time for my last post!
All that group work coming in handy!
Good businesses thrive on wholesome relationships and good communication. For a company to truly succeed, each person in the business has to fulfil their own role to create coherence and eventually success.
Working in a real life business shows just how important the chain of responsibility among employees is. Each person, whether they’re the owner, manager or a barista, plays a vital role that is greatly missed when taken out of the chain.
Teamwork creates increased efficiency in the work place. When everyone is working in complete synergy, work in all aspects of the company flows with an undeniable proficiency. With everyone doing their own roles to the best of their ability whilst also helping others who are falling behind, it creates an incredible working environment to be a part of.
Working as a team also is a great way to generate new ideas. Collaboration in the workplace between departments is a great way to get new and fresh ideas for yourself and your own sector. At my placement I work in an office with the owner doing PR work, however the office is right next to the kitchen. So during my breaks I go to other sections of the café and discuss what PR ideas we have come up with, and the staff members give a new ideas and inputs from a different perspective.
Sometimes, as hard as it is, it is important to ask for help. You may feel like a weak link or that you are annoying people, but that isn’t the way they see it. Imagine if someone asked you for help, you would help them without hesitation, right? So that’s probably how they feel about you asking for help.
A good team environment also creates a support network for the people working within it. At my placement, everyone has such a close bond and cares for and encourages each other. When starting there, it was great to see such a close knit team and I hoped that I would eventually be a part of that family. From the beginning until the end of my placement, I was getting constant support, encouragement and praise from everyone for the work I was doing; which encouraged me to do my best and work my hardest every day.
My internship has taught me how important team work really is in a business. I am so grateful to be doing a placement in an environment that is so supportive and works so collaboratively as a team. I guess all that group work really was preparing us for the real world!!
Better to ask a stupid question than make a dumb mistake…
Working in a different role within a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) community, I felt I had some knowledge jumping into the department at OMI (Office of Multicultural Interest). During my interview I felt I was well briefed with what the objectives of the department were, what would be expected of me and what I should expect. But I had this burning question and although it was relevant I was concerned, would I be considered as a demanding student? The more the interview went on the more I wanted to ask, but I didn’t want it to jeopardise getting the placement. I threw myself in the deep end…..
I asked “Do you have a Chinese specialist on board for this project? It’s just that I don’t know Mandarin or Cantonese or their cultural nuances and I just think it’s important to have someone so that we can ensure we don’t offend anyone that with something that may seem trivial to us, but might be a clash of cultures elsewhere”
I was told they didn’t but it was accepted as a perfectly valid question *phew!*
When I started I was introduced to Susan, a Chinese national who had moved to Australia, studied both in China and Australia, worked as a translator and sat an exam to become an interpreter. We had common ground. Susan was working with the web designer to ensure all translations were fluent and comprehensive. She proved to be an asset to the team and its campaign time and again, one instance from my part was using the logo on a lighter background I used the black logo (in Chinese culture this could have been a huge faux pas, as its underlying meaning was death).
When I was asked to present to stakeholders and partners at a meeting, I was confident in talking about Radian6, I was confident in my abilities and what was being asked of me, but how far did I need to go, what relevant examples could I use when this type of campaign had never happened in Perth previously and if I was to give an example, how could it be relevant when there was no equivalent comparison? Discussing this with my manager was important, not only to make sure I was going to delivering what was asked of me, but to also ensure that when I was slotted into the Director’s speech that it would be a seamless transition and flow well.
Demonstrating Radian6 capabilities and the parameters in which it works was exhilarating, I was able to utilise the visual depictions provided from Radian6 to outline the information in a concise way. It afforded me an avenue to bring it down to basic terminology for individuals who haven’t been able to test out Radian6 themselves and those individuals who are more technologically challenged.
It was nice as my time progressed where numerous people within the executive team were curious how things were travelling and the speed at which Radian6 could produce answers with up date information. What I found more intriguing was that people were now asking me the questions they thought were “silly questions”.
I must add that at OMI I was so fortunate, not only to have Susan (Chinese specialist), but also have the most multicultural team I have EVER worked with (and believe me I have had more jobs than I can count on fingers and toes). When part of our reports included information from South America, we had another team member who was able to assist and ensure that we were on top of what going on.
As an individual it’s not your job to know EVERYTHING. You can only do so much by yourself, but as part of the team, throwing questions out challenge each other, ensure all avenues are being covered and makes a more comprehensive campaign a success.