Nancy’s decision to invest in her personal development has turned her career on its head! After completing the CIPR Professional PR Certificate (L5), she decided to go Self-Employed as a Marketing and Communications Consultant working for clients in the cultural, tourism and leisure sectors.
Why did you choose to study this qualification?
The majority of my career has been on the marketing side of marcomms, and I chose to study this qualification to increase my knowledge of PR practices and gain a professional qualification.
What did you discover about yourself in the process?
Funnily enough, I discovered I was good at PR, and I just wasn’t working in the right organisation! Studying with nesma has given me the confidence to go freelance, and I have not looked back!
What did you enjoy most about studying?
It was brilliant to work through practical examples that could be applied to real-life situations. It provided an excellent opportunity to study with PR specialists and work with expert PR practitioners who were our tutors.
What do you do differently now?
I’m much more confident at identifying PR angles and pushing back on clients when I know a story isn’t PR-able (and telling them so!).
And what words of advice would you give anyone considering a career in marketing/PR?
It’s the devil’s path.
What are the significant changes within your industry at present?
Covid has hit the cultural sector pretty hard, and we’re all learning to deal with massive uncertainty around show/venue closures etc. – which was so rare before the pandemic. Agile marketing has become much more relevant and a way of life.
What do you enjoy most when you aren’t doing the day job?
Learning German
The CIPR Professional PR Certificate is recognised across the PR industry and beyond, and will enable you to build on your experience and develop your skillset to help drive your career forward.
