Day two

At the end of day two in the PR internship things are good. Strangely, for someone who is used to getting out of bed normally no earlier than 9 or 10, I am not struggling too much with 6.30 starts. It helps that I sleep on public transport, so I grab a window seat on the train into London and doze until we arrive.

The office is a very cool place. I felt a little silly yesterday, turning up in my smart black suit and white shirt to find that it really was smart casual, not even smart, but blue jeans casual. They reassured me I did the right thing wearing a suit though, because if it had been the other way around... Everyone seems friendly, people introduce themselves and ask how long I'm around for and you have conversations like you haven't only met for the first time that morning.

The work varies -- although I doubt any job is all interesting and exciting all of the time, it's a pretty fast-paced environment and not too unlike journalism. But rather than pages to fill and editors to satisfy there are accounts and presentations and all sorts of things to organise. In the course of a day I might be researching stuff, looking for up-market bars and private clubs around the country, then spend some time putting mail shots into envelopes, then later on be calling journalists to try and convince them they want to be writing a feature about a new washing up liquid.

It feels strange calling newspapers. I was given a list of people to call and told what to say, and they warned me journalists could be rude and asked me if I had spoken to any before. "I kind of worked as a journalist, for a while" I say, and they understand. I know how it is. But I'm still surprised when I talk to one and am trying to sound enthusiastic about being from whatever detergent company (even though technically, I'm sort of not) and they say in a bored voice, tired of dealing with PR people: "What are you flogging, then?". But it's not like that, and that same weary journalist takes half an interest when you explain and puts you in touch with someone else.

When I was being asked to do some research I was asked if I had ever done research before. Again, I tell someone that I sort of worked as a journalist.
"Come over to the dark side, have you?" they ask, and I laugh.
Because it's true. PR always was referred to as the dark side -- people who couldn't write a tight, punchy intro and are more interested in getting you to write about whatever product they are being paid to push, but of course it's not as simple as just that. All the same, I have been turned to the dark side of the force, I have pledged my allegiance to them, and I do enjoy my work.