PR is all air kissing and daily Starbucks right?!
We caught up with Carey Whitwam PR Manager of In The Style to discuss all things fashion and to dish the dirt on what it’s really like to have one of the most sought after jobs in the industry.
Good morning Carey! Describe a typical day in your role.
Good morning!
I like to start each day by checking social media
I’m an avid reader of the Daily Mail Online (if it’s not on the DM then it isn’t happening), I also pick up any press or celebrity requests that have come in overnight.
After my caffeine fix – I’ll contact press about interview opportunities with our celebrity ambassadors and get chatting about feature opportunities that In The Style can be involved with.
Is it true PR girls survive on gossip and Starbucks?
Yeah – pretty much! My go-to has to be a Grande Skinny Mocha!
When did you realise you wanted to work in PR?
I was always interested in PR as it seemed like a really fun and glamorous job.
I then ended up getting a job in journalism and after dealing with press on a daily basis I decided it was something that I really wanted to pursue – and so I went for it!
What three things that you need to get through the day?
- Starbucks – Never Costa always Starbucks
- Snapchat – It’s the quickest way to keep up-to-date with what celebs are wearing
- My dog Harry! He is my baby
Ab Fab jokes aside, what’s the biggest PR cliche?
Everyone thinks that PR is all about going out and drinking Champagne and going for long lunches. As much as I wish it was, it’s only 1% Champagne and the rest is lots of hard work and careful planning.
What skills are essential for a career in PR?
For me, it’s all about passion and enthusiasm. PR is a long job and doesn’t fit into 9-5 and often involves working long nights and being on call over the weekend.
If someone shows that they’re dedicated and enthusiastic, even when you email them over the weekend then you’re onto a winner!
You can train the fundamental skills behind PR but if you’re not enthusiastic about the industry you’re in then you’ll find it a very dull job.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to go into PR?
Be prepared to work your way up and to do all the little tasks! PR is all about networking so make sure you go to industry events and get chatting to people, you never know where it could lead you.
What inspires you?
Seeing In The Style in the press is always really motivating as it’s great to see coverage come to life from the initial conversations with journalists to finally seeing it in magazines. Seeing amazing coverage always makes me want to do more!
What has been the favourite piece of coverage?
In The Style were recently on the cover of Metro for the swimwear launches for Binky and Charlotte followed by two full pages all about In The Style – you don’t get much better than the cover of a national newspaper!
Have you ever had any PR disaster?
Plenty! For our summer party, I ordered a giant deckchair, thinking it would just be a bit larger than a normal deckchair – it came to the venue and was the biggest thing I’ve ever seen!
Eventually we found a space for it and looked incredible but my face when I saw it was priceless.
Best perk you’ve ever had?
Last year I got to go to the Cosmopolitan Women of The Year Awards – it was an amazing night and something I never thought I would get to attend!
What is the best thing about working at In The Style?
I absolutely love the team – everyone loves the brand and you can see how much passion everyone has for their jobs and it’s really inspiring.
What are the best bits about working in PR?
Seeing the projects you work from come to life – nothing beats seeing an amazing piece of print coverage!
…and the worst?
A lot of my job involves ‘research’ and looking through shopping pages – it’s pretty hard to resist buying everything I want!
Who inspires you?
Chrissy Teigen! She’s my ultimate girl crush and seems to power through everything without even a yawn!