Past and Present Broomies Trading Secrets of PR Success

One of the most enjoyable aspects of PR is connecting with others and learning from their experiences. 

Broomie alums Taylor Fredericks, Abril Sosa-Pineda, Julissa Muro and McKenna Wecker met up with the Broom Student Fellow class of 2024 cohort for an alumni social. These PR superstars traded secrets for succeeding as PR pros. 

Find your passion 

Finding an industry you are passionate about is a game changer in PR.  Fredericks emphasized the importance of working in a sector that interests you. 

According to the New York Times, choosing a career involving tasks that interest you leads to higher satisfaction levels.

After working in the hospitality sector, Fredericks began working in sales at Brilliant PR & Marketing, an agency specializing in consumer goods. While both experiences were meaningful and exciting in their own ways, Fredericks has a stronger passion for consumer goods. 

Whether it's hospitality, consumer goods or another niche sector, it is possible and crucial to work for an industry that excites you, especially with the 57,416 PR firms in the U.S. 

Personalize connections 

Connecting with fellow professionals should be exciting and personable. Abril Sosa-Pineda shared her tips and tricks for successful networking. 

According to Statista, 71% of respondents find networking important when looking for job opportunities. Sosa-Pineda explained that successful networking can lead to exciting careers at well-renowned companies.   

As a student with minimal PR experience, Sosa-Pineda showed others they could invest in her. In addition to demonstrating her PR skills and desire to grow professionally, Sosa-Pineda made personal connections with Allison co-founder Scott Pansky and other executives she aspired to be one day. Two years later, Sosa-Pineda is now an assistant account executive at Allison in their LA office.

Invest in yourself 

Finding an internship that is more than a resume booster is a worthy investment.  Muro embodied this mindset by starting as an intern and being promoted to junior content creator at Chrome City Creative. 

According to Zippia, 70% of interns are offered a role at the company they worked for. Muro’s experience demonstrates that dedicating yourself to your career can be a stepping stone to success.  

While some students use internships to gain work experience and build their resume, Muro used hers as an opportunity to establish herself as a professional. What started as an internship in January 2022 resulted in a launching pad for Muro’s career. 

Understand the environment

It’s important to note how professionals practice PR differently by region. McKenna Wecker emphasized the importance of understanding each region’s PR culture.  

According to the PR Census 2016, agencies predominantly work in technology, consumer services, media and marketing. In addition to these four sectors, Wecker pointed out that some regions specialize in other PR industries. While agencies in San Diego typically serve the hospitality and tourism sectors, agencies in D.C. usually serve the public affairs sector. 

No matter where you go, there will always be opportunities to practice PR. The key is to reside in a location that feels like home and offers career opportunities that excite you to build your own table.