By Sarah Mason, Account Coordinator
July 17 was my first day at Landis Communications Inc. After a full year of staying in contact with David Cumpston, a director at LCI, and checking in with him about positions, the firm called me about a position that had just opened. I came into the office for an interview on Tuesday, July 11 and accepted their offer two days later. I’m excited to be a part of the team!
I graduated from Seattle University in June 2016 with a B.A. in Strategic Communications. Originally, I was a nursing major, which earned plenty of praise from my peers and parents. When I discovered that nursing just wasn’t for me I entertained the thought of switching into the communications field. When I verbalized the idea to my friends, I got the backlash question of “Well, what are you going to do with a communications major?”
“What will I do with a communications major?” I often thought to myself. I went back to the basics – what do I do when no one’s watching? I bit the bullet and began taking journalism and computer classes.
I loved it.
I began my strategic communications classes and made mock campaigns for companies in the Seattle area that included social media plans, crisis communication plans, product placements and events. I joined the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and applied for a mentor to guide me through the public relations jungle.
What I’ve realized in my short time in PR is that branding is arguably the most important part of a business. If a business has strong brand recognition, it can sell its consumer base just about anything.
I’m on my way at LCI and I want to learn as much as possible in the field.
What was your first foray into PR? Leave a comment below or tweet me @purlingprincess.
Welcome aboard Sarah! Glad that you are here at LCI!
Sarah, it’s so great to have you on our team and I want to give a big shout-out as well to Heather Fernandez, formerly of our Seattle affiliate PR agency, The Fearey Group – and SF’s Sam Singer – who also made us aware of you! One thing I’d add that made your resume stand out: you worked in the media for the Palo Alto and Los Altos newspapers. I think that makes for a well-rounded communications professional. Welcome aboard! Cheers, David
Welcome to LCI Sarah – the tenacity you showed in keeping in touch with David is exactly what you need in the PR world!
So glad you’re here, Sarah! Let’s make some LCI magic together 🙂
Regards, David
It’s not the major. It’s having the right attitude and the willingness to learn. My niece once urged me to help her best friend out. She had a mathematics degree and could not get a job.
She started as an intern and soon became an account executive. She moved up the corporate ladder and today after more than 15 years she is doing very well in the healthcare industry in Canada.
Very nice blog Sarah, congratulations on making the breakthrough. My first foray into PR was in the 90s; as a recent graduate (English Lit / Media Studies) I wrote to 20+ agencies offering to work for free just to get some experience under my belt. Only 1 agency even bothered replying – that agency was Cullen Communications and today I still work with them! Have a good day and cheers from Dublin, Ireland.
Welcome Sarah! We’re so happy to have you join our happy band. My first foray into PR involved a typewriter and a landline…:)
Sarah – congratulations on your first PR job out of college. I hope you will find the position both rewarding and challenging. My first job in PR was at a high-tech PR firm outside of D.C. I guess it was fated that I’d end up moving to The Bay Area where tech is king. I think you’ll find agency life fast-paced and an ideal setting to grow and mold your skills quickly. Welcome!