Abby Stryker 
If you asked me five years ago where I would see myself in September 2023, I would have said something like, “Working on projects I’m passionate about at a company I love.” And thanks to my lucky stars (and a lot of hard work and discipline), I have the privilege to be doing exactly that at Maven. In September 2022, I was completing graduate school at Drexel University and began my internship at Maven. Today, I have my M.S. degree and have been working full-time at Maven since February 2023 as an Assistant Account Executive. Here are a few reflections on what I have learned over the past year at Maven.
Public Relations is a people-first industry.
Throughout my years in school, I strived to become the best writer I could. While PR is a writing-intensive industry, our clients are at the heart of everything we do. From getting to know our client’s media goals to becoming invested in each other’s personal lives, this field is people-centric. An extension of this is client management. That means making sure all efforts stay on-brand, are consistent with our strategy, and are within reach.
You probably won’t get it right in the first draft, and that’s okay.
A longform written piece, such as a byline, will go through several drafts. I tend to be a harsh self-critic, so when I first started at Maven, I remember receiving edits back and wondering, “Did I miss the mark here?” But usually, that’s not the case. PR writing is about being concise and making sure that the key details are highlighted. That has been a learning curve for me as I’ve been learning a new style of writing, but through countless press releases and op-eds, I’ve mastered it.
What you heard is true – organization is key.
Being on several client accounts means deadlines crossing over, emails constantly coming in, and sometimes urgent last-minute asks. It’s our job to make sure it all gets done efficiently and precisely. For me, staying on track means having a dedicated notebook for my daily to-dos which are categorized by client, and in order of urgency. This helps me keep track of projects and eliminates the possibility of missing anything. Once something new reaches my inbox, I add it to the list so that it doesn’t get lost in the day.
Company culture is everything.
Many of my fellow Gen-Z friends believe that a job is a job and you don’t have to love everything about it. But for me, I was determined to find a field that excites me at a company I respect. I’m eternally grateful to love the public relations field and the Maven team. I feel just as supported today as when I first arrived. We are a team that congratulates one another’s personal and professional milestones, and we also don’t hesitate to step in when someone needs a hand. Because of Maven’s culture, I feel empowered to voice my opinions, encouraged to take risks, and think outside the box which has helped me grow immensely as a PR practitioner.
In just a year at Maven, I’ve worked on five published articles, secured many media opportunities, staffed countless events, produced a seemingly endless number of media materials, met influential leaders in Philadelphia, and formed a genuine connection with every Maven team member. If I had the chance to do anything differently, I wouldn’t.
The best advice I can give to someone entering their first full-time position is to believe in yourself, develop an early bedtime routine, and always be open to learning.
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