Emily John – Life at a B2B PR Agency
Tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Jargon PR
I first joined Jargon PR back in 2019, as an Account Manager and for the past three years, have risen through the ranks to become one of the agency’s Account Directors and part of the senior management team. After finishing my studies at Bournemouth University, I started out my career at a broadcast tech agency based in Pinewood Studios, where I learnt the PR ropes and worked on a number of exciting global campaigns.
It’s pretty cliche to say that no two days are the same in PR – but that’s very much the case in my role at Jargon. As an Account Director, I am responsible for managing a growing client portfolio, where I oversee and manage the strategic direction, outcomes and team performance. Additionally, I’m a line manager for a number of team members and work closely with them on their career and professional development.
A big part of my role also involves supporting the agency’s ambitious growth objectives by heading up Jargon PR’s upselling division and working with the senior management team to develop the agency’s new business pipeline.
What is your favourite thing about PR?
If I had to choose one thing, I would say going to events and tradeshows is a personal highlight. Now conferences are in full swing again post-COVID, it’s an exciting time to be in PR as we start returning to tradeshows for face-to-face meetings with clients, briefings with journalists and chatting to new business prospects. I’m set to go to Amsterdam for the IBC Show in early September and I can’t wait!
What is your advice to anyone looking to develop in their PR career?
My advice would be to absorb as much information as possible during your first few months working in PR – there is so much to learn and it’s important to be open to feedback from your team. Your peers are a vital source of knowledge and working alongside them will give you huge opportunities to shape your future career in PR.
I would also recommend consuming media both online and offline to ensure you have an understanding of what’s happening in the industry and trending topics, as this will help develop strategies and wider content ideas for your clients.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Anyone who knows me will have either met or heard of my Golden Retriever, Milo who takes up a lot of my time outside of work. Aside from long walks and pub lunches with friends, I also enjoy travelling and visiting new places abroad. I have a long list of destinations that I want to travel to, with Los Angeles, New Zealand and Bali high on the agenda!
What is your favourite thing about working at Jargon PR?
I would definitely say the team! Jargon PR’s culture is like no other – we are highly collaborative, motivated and hardworking but also enjoy letting our hair down at our regular social events. There is a lovely support network amongst the team and I’m very lucky to have met a group of brilliant people who I consider to be great friends.
What is your favourite: top three TV shows/books/movies?
Book:
We recently started a Jargon PR Bookclub and Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover was the first book we all read, and I was hooked straight away! Having not read any of her novels before, I really enjoyed the array of themes covered and witnessing the growth and redemption of the main characters – I would highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys romance novels!
Film:
Grease is one of those films that I can watch over and over – and I do. As a feel-good film with a number of iconic scenes and choreography, I grew up watching Grease and listening to the movie soundtrack so it’s distinctly nostalgic for me.
TV Show:
Grey’s Anatomy is the TV show that I recommend to all my friends. Following a group of doctors at a hospital in Seattle, you are instantly drawn into the drama with interesting storylines and lighthearted humour. As one of the longest-running primetime shows, I’ve been a dedicated fan for 18 seasons and I’ll continue tuning in until the very end!
Finally, what is your ‘PR Superpower’?
Most of my colleagues would say that I’m particularly meticulous, so I’d have to say that this is my PR Superpower! Organisation is often overlooked as a vital skill for leaders, but I think that being organised starts at the top and works its way down. It’s been hugely rewarding to see a number of initiatives that I’ve introduced being used by the team to improve their time management and organisational skills.
My organised nature also allows me to prioritise where the team’s time is best spent in order to achieve exceptional results for our clients. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and clients are continually up to date with our ongoing activities, demonstrating real ROI on their PR investment.
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