Considering the job hunt is on, interviews… telephonic and in person are now going to become the norm of the day. Just recently I applied to a Public Relations agency in Dubai, and they actually considered me for a position in their company after reading my blog. “Could you please submit a cover letter as well with your C.V?”, asked the person interviewing me. “Here’s a tip though, could you write it like you write your blog? I should be able to feel the energy through your letter. Try not to make it conventional, keep it honest.” After this sincere request, I went on to write the following letter.
” The first time I told mom and dad, “I want to be a journalist”, their reaction was, “What nonsense.. what are we going to explain to people, that you run behind people with cameras?” That was the moment I realized the path to define my career is not going to be easy and the toughest battle to be fought will probably be on the home front.
I started with a media degree, thinking I was going to be a hard hitting under cover journalist when very unexpectedly I found myself in my first proper job in a Public Relations firm. A friend had quit her job, the market was really bad and everyone suggested for now we needed to put our dreams aside and think of earning our bread, in the world of media of course but without being be too stringent about what side we chose.
Much to my dismay, for the first six months of my job, I found myself cutting clippings from newspapers and sticking them on company letter heads, forwarding emails to about 50 people. I often asked myself this question during those first six months, “What the hell am I doing?”.
Dad had by this time, given me an ultimatum, “Can’t earn your own bread, come back home. To Kuwait”. And so, I decided, I was going to do what I am doing, to the best of my capacity. So while I was cutting and pasting newspapers clippings, I made sure they were aligned right, that the company letterhead was in perfect color. That the font was professional.
Finally, six months later, my boss called me and said, “I have realized, you are too good for this, I would be wasting you on cutting and pasting, we will hire someone else for that. You think you could handle TGIF for us, start with listings for now and then move to more complicated things.” And just like that, the love – hate relationship with Public Relations had begun.
I have seen cranky bosses, complaining clients and clients (new artists) who have shed tears of happiness at being in an article in the Bombay Times.
When I started, I thought Public Relations was all about press coverage, then about marketing alliances and for some time I even believed it was all about the freebies.
If today someone were to ask me, “What is Public Relations?” I would say, “It’s the very life we live. Other professions are about one thing or another, Public Relations is about people. About communication. And ensuring that people understand what you are telling them. It is not just about strategies, it is about realigning your message every step of the way. The message not only has to reach its audience, but they also need to interpret it correctly.”
I have always found this quote by George Bernard Shaw, to be something that all communication professionals should probably tattoo on their hand, “‘The biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
Why should you hire me?
Because like your company, I am young, willing to walk the long road that will unfold many surprises.
At this point I could choose to stay back here, get a nice administrative job and settle. But ‘settle’ is not a word I want to practice. I want to grow, in the field that I have grown to understand and like. This alone should be able to say something about my conviction.
My feet are itching to leave, but I am in need of a direction. You could well be that direction.
Thank you.
PS: Unfortunately I did not land the job. Writing from the heart however is its own reward.
Zahra Husain likes to live and think in ways she is not supposed to and she blogs at http://peepingjeans.wordpress.com/