Hey everyone! For this week, I have constructed an interview
with a PR professional to gain more knowledge about the field. Her name is
Nicole Daniel, and she is a corporate communications intern for the Detroit
Lions. Here's what she had to say about her career:
What degree did it take to get this job?
I have a bachelor of arts in advertising, a minor in public
relations and a concentration in media management. This job
specifically focuses on my public relations minor.
What skills do you need for this job?
Strong writing abilities, media relations, interpersonal
communications skills, detail-orientation, strategic thinking and the ability
to control the message.
What’s the work environment like? Do you work
collaboratively or more independently?
I work very closely with my supervisor on most projects,
since I am an intern. I do prefer collaborative environment though. More can be
accomplished working within a team, bouncing ideas off one another and constant
brainstorming of new ideas. The corporate communications department frequently
meets to discuss our strategy for upcoming events. We also meet with the
executives to ensure the brand is being represented properly.
What is a day on the job like?
It is always different. Our department handles all business
inquires with the Detroit Lions including partnership deals and stadium
enhancements, stadium concerts and events, and the Detroit Lions community
story. No day is ever the same, but we do work on press kits, media events and
community events consistently.
What’s an example of a project you would typically do?
One example would be drafting media materials: such as press releases, news
advisories and talking points. I also am an assistant to Ford Field’s social
media accounts. We plan the media strategy for the accounts.
What are the biggest challenges you face on the job?
Working in the NFL things are always moving fast and
changing even faster, you have to be on top of everything and strategic with
what is being communicated. The Detroit Lions are a consumer brand so people
are always looking for more information, sometimes more than you are willing to
give.
What do you write and how do you write it?
I write press releases to advise the media of future events,
initiatives and brand-supporting stories. I also write copy for social
media posts, draft talking point for executives and recaps of media
coverage. I write those pieces with clear and concise verbiage. In
public relations, the goal is to write at a level for middle school
students to comprehend; this is not because your reader is uneducated but
to ensure that your message is interpreted exactly how it was intended.
What are common misconceptions of your field and how do you
use communication--specifically writing- to address these misconceptions?
Working in sports is glamourous. The sports industry is
truly the grind, you are working crazy hours, weekends and holidays. You are
not watching the games or hanging out with players like people tend to believe.
However, a misconception of writing for a sports team is that the media
coverage comes by default. For my department we do not cover football
operations, so to engage the media we have to ensure the message is clearly
depicted and interesting for their audience. We also work to create
relationships with the reporters to get an understanding of what they write
about and how to present the information to them.
What are the uses of communication in your field?
Everything is communication. My job entails communicating
with the media, the Detroit Lions organization, my co-workers and the public,
both fans and critics. We are constantly working to improve the perception of
our brand through strategic communications.
I hope this interview gave you as much knowledge as it gave
me. Tune back in next week!
-Grace
