I can’t believe how quickly time flies. It seems like just yesterday I started my internship here at Elettra Communications, yet somehow I’m already heading into my last week. Working with a range of clients in a variety of industries, I’ve been lucky enough to have some pretty great experiences in my short time here.

On my first day, I was able to help out with Harbour Centre’s Urban Grind. I got to meet thousands of Vancouverites that, through the power of PR, showed up to hike to the top of the Vancouver Lookout to enjoy some music, beers, and great city views. I also got insight into the back end of events like this by tracking the event’s success on a weekly basis and preparing a post-event report for the client. 

In addition to the Urban Grind, I was part of a team that celebrated all of the hardworking employees at YVR, promoting their new employee appreciation program: YVR Stars.

I got to spend a morning handing out coffee, tea, and cookies to YVR employees coming in to work, while telling them about the YVR Stars program.

On top of that, I was solely responsible for organizing the Chefs’ Showcase for this year’s Vancouver magazine Restaurant Awards. What does that mean? It means I got to spend a good portion of my days talking to the top chefs in Vancouver and inviting them to prepare some of their signature dishes to be presented to (and thoroughly enjoyed by) the over 900 guests at this year’s awards. This also means I got to work on a project that was 100% my own, from start to finish. That was a pretty good feeling.

Plus, I got to catch a glimpse of the event itself - a room full of Vancouver’s finest from the restaurant industry coming together to celebrate each other’s successes.

Aside from working on some pretty amazing events, my internship at Elettra has allowed me to put my writing skills to good use. One of the main reasons I’m in PR is because I love to write. Throughout my internship, my bosses recognized this passion and encouraged it by giving me opportunities to write blog posts, client articles, and social media content.

I would also like to acknowledge some of the extra perks of working at a PR agency - the proverbial cherry-on-top of my internship. Working on the Vancouver magazine Restaurant Awards meant I was able to visit some of Vancouver’s top restaurants before the crowds got to them. I also got to hand deliver mail to some pretty great food trucks; needless to say, some delicious lunches were had. Additionally, I was able to attend this year’s Boink Day hosted by Spring Advertising where I learned I could bouce on a pogo stick over 30 times for a good cause!

So there you have it, some first-hand insight into life as an intern. It’s been an incredible experience and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more. Of course, saving the best for last, I would like to thank all the ladies at Elettra for being so supportive and encouraging during my time here. I hope our paths cross again soon.

And now, I’m off to find a job!

We are very excited to welcome our new intern, Kelsi Carleton, to the Elettra Communications team. Kelsi is a second year Marketing Communications student at the British Columbia Institute of Technology and the Vice President of Operations at Enactus BCIT, a student run organization on campus. She has dedicated the past two years to her education and building her communication skills through participating in networking events, presenting at Enactus regional and national expositions, and attending local events to support the Vancouver business community.

In her spare time Kelsi enjoys attending events including concerts, food truck festivals, and music festivals. She has a passion for travel and followed her passion by backpacking through Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America.

Kelsi gained experience in communications during her time at BCIT. These communication skills, paired with her love of events were her drivers for joining the world of PR in Vancouver. She was drawn to the opportunity of working on a variety of clients in multiple industries. Kelsi has enjoyed refining her business writing and presentation skills in school and is excited to start applying them to the real world of public relations.

Welcome to the team Kelsi!

We are pleased to welcome Leanne Kedrosky back into the Elettra Communications office! Leanne first came to Elettra as an intern in March 2014. She completed a nine week internship as part of her BCIT Marketing Communications Program. Leanne then spent the fall coordinating our YVR School Tour Program at Vancouver International Airport. She had a two-part role, both as a tour guide for Grade 5 students visiting the airport and a  support resource for our Airport Authority clients.

Leanne has now taken on a new role as an Account Coordinator at Elettra Communications. We are thrilled to welcome her back into our office where she will provide support to a number of our clients including Vancouver magazine and YVR. We look forward to her continued growth within the company.

Welcome back Leanne!

Elettra Communications has an immediate opening for a full time Account Coordinator. We are looking for an enthusiastic and driven professional who is keen to take the next step in their PR career. Responsibilities:

Media Relations

• Writing media materials, including news releases, fact sheets, articles, and web copy.
• Developing media lists, distributing media materials, and pitching stories.
• Responding to incoming reactive media inquiries.
• Monitoring media and developing campaign recaps.

Social Media

• Monitoring social media channels on behalf of clients.
• Developing social media content and assisting in strategy development.

Events / Community Relations

• Coordinating events and community programs, working with clients and suppliers.

General

• Supporting senior team members on a variety of communications projects.
• Supporting administrative functions of the agency.
• Contributing to Elettra’s social media profiles. Creating content for Elettra’s blog.
• Conducting research on a variety of topics.

Requirements:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Business, Marketing, Public Relations, or Arts.
• Previous experience (6 months – 1 year) working in a public relations agency or within a communications team. This can include internships.
• Strong media literacy and interest in local, national, and international current affairs and news.
• Active user of social media, including all major platforms. Experience in content development and monitoring.
• Exceptional writing and oral communications skills.
• A wealth of knowledge about, and passion for, the city of Vancouver.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Flexible with hours and able to respond to media inquiries / attend events outside the 9-5, Monday-Friday workweek.

Please apply with cover letter and cv to info@elettra.ca.

After six weeks of learning about PR in the SFU PR Program, I felt like I had a solid ‘tool kit’ to prepare for my practicum at Elettra. In class, we learned a little bit of everything from media kits, pitching, and social media for PR, but there is only so much you can learn in a classroom. The practicum component of the course is a chance to give that newly developed ‘tool kit’ a try, and taking advantage of the opportunities that come with it, whether the opportunity is presented to you directly or not.  When I started my practicum with Elettra, I had no idea how many opportunities would come my way.

Direct Opportunities: The first day of any practicum or job is always nerve-wracking, so it was nice to find out that on my first day of Elettra I was given a list of smaller and lower priority tasks. These tasks were a direct opportunity to show my capability, even if it was on a small scale. In my perspective, every task that you are assigned is an opportunity to do well.

Indirect Opportunities: Your practicum is what you make of your practicum. Yes, your supervisor will assign you tasks, but you also have the opportunity to find ways to go above and beyond those. For instance, my supervisors gave the team a brief overview on an upcoming project and let us know that there would be a brainstorm for ideas later on that day. Even though this was not “assigned”, I took advantage of some extra time I had, and did a mini brainstorm on my own. I essentially prepared a little pitch for my idea, anticipated problems and prepared answers for those problems. When I presented this to my supervisors at the brainstorm that day, they invited me to not only be part of the project but they also asked me if I would like to be hired on after my practicum to complete the campaign! This was a bit of a ‘aha’ moment for me, because I realized how initiative can help you make the best of your practicum and how you have the power to form your own opportunities.

Reflection: The SFU PR program really helped me to start thinking from a PR perspective and gave me a little more confidence with the skills I had developed. My experience at Elettra was a fantastic way to learn in a supportive environment, a chance to try out my skills in assigned tasks, and a chance to take advantage of some really great opportunities.

Beyond the Article: If you would like to see the campaign I helped with, take a look at Vancity Buzz’s page and the Harbour Centre website’s contest page.

By Natalie Pope Natalie never considered public relations as a career option, but upon investigation she realized it was a perfect fit.  Natalie is currently enrolled in the SFU PR Certificate and has joined Elettra Communications to complete the 3-week practicum component of the course.

For the longest time PR was a mystery to me. But as a recent SFU Communications and English graduate, I learned that Public Relations is an area that many students in my field enter. As graduation approached, I began to chat with communications professionals from IABC  and through various Vancouver events. I didn’t know what my career path would be but I did know that I love working with people, writing, social media, and events. After a lot of thought and self-reflection, I realized that PR was something that might indeed by a fit for me.

I decided to act on this realization and enrolled in the SFU PR certificate program. Because of the program, I’ve learned relevant and hands-on skills that are integral to being a professional communicator. I also met many exceptional individuals including the industry-professional instructors and my classmates who will be the future of PR, I’m sure.

The SFU English Department held an event called “What can you do with your English Degree?”, where SFU English Alumni spoke about their current profession. Simone was one of the speakers at the panel and she spoke passionately about how Elettra makes a point of finding meaningful opportunities that the team feels strongly about. This was something I was immediately drawn to and it was even more appealing when I found out how passionate Elettra is about providing exceptional learning opportunities for their interns or practicum students. Again, this was music to my ears.

I am thrilled that Elettra Communications is part of my PR journey. So far, my journey into PR has been a path of discovery, and I look forward to continue learning and discovering during my time here!

Beyond the Article:

• Connect with Natalie on Twitter or LinkedIn
• Want to hear more about Natalie's career journey? She has written about it for the SFU Online Learning Community

With summer fast approaching things are really heating up at Elettra HQ and we have lots of exciting projects on the horizon.

To help us implement these campaigns we are delighted to announce a new addition to our team - Lorna Allen has joined Elettra as an Account Executive.

Lorna hails from Northern Ireland and has an extensive background in PR and journalism from the UK and Ireland.

Lorna holds a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities Combined and a Master of Arts in Media Studies – both from the University of Ulster. She has also completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Film Journalism from the British Film Institute, in conjunction with Sight & Sound Magazine, and is currently completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Online PR from the Fitzwilliam Institute.

Elettra is delighted to welcome Lorna, and we look forward to introducing her to our clients and suppliers.

By Leanne Kedrosky As my internship at Elettra Communications comes to a close, I’m reflecting back on how much I have learned, accomplished, and progressed over the past nine weeks. I started my time at Elettra with a faint inkling that public relations is in my career future, and I am finishing the internship with a solid conclusion that I want to be a PR star.

What I Learned at Elettra Communications:

How do you become a PR star? I have complied some of my favourite tips gathered throughout my nine-week internship at Elettra.

The people make the job. The people at Elettra made my internship a highly enjoyable experience. I’m thankful to work with Managing Partners that made me feel like part of the team and were available for any of my questions. Personal relationships are important to the Elettra team and this reflects in numerous previous employees who have returned as clients.

Choose accuracy over time. Take the time to triple and quadruple check you work! Clients will never appreciate sending off wrong or misspelled information; that time to check facts will save your reputation. Then when you think it is perfect, have someone else read it over.

Mom was right, patience is a virtue. If a situation is tough take a deep breath, ask questions, and respond with a goal in mind. The people around you will notice how you respond to others and your future workload will reflect your capabilities.

Write EVERYTHING down. From small tasks to weekly reminders, write it all down. As an intern you may be focusing on many things in a day, don’t let the small things slip out of your organizational grasp.

Small is important. Doing a good job on small tasks will lead to more responsibility. Don’t consider any task unimportant. When you put effort into the small things it will be noticed, you will gain respect in the workplace, and slowly receive more responsibility and projects.

Thank you to the Elettra team for teaching me so many valuable practices and helping me progress towards my career goals. I am looking forward to working here longer and absorbing more information from such a knowledgeable team.

Elettra Communications has an immediate opening for a Junior Public Relations Consultant with 1-2 years of PR experience. The position is for a 6-month term, with the possibility of an extension.  We are looking for an enthusiastic and driven professional who is keen to take the next step in their PR career. The Elettra team is dynamic, fun, and prides itself on providing the highest quality communications service to its clients. Posting Date: April 17, 2014

Closing Date: May 4, 2014

Responsibilities:

General

• Acting as day-to-day contact for a variety of clients.
• Supporting senior team members on a variety of communications projects.
• Supporting administrative functions of the agency.
• Supporting Elettra’s social media profiles.

Media Relations

• Writing media materials, including news releases, fact sheets, articles, and web copy.
• Developing media lists, distributing media materials, and pitching stories.
• Responding to incoming reactive media inquiries.
• Developing campaign recaps.

Social Media

• Monitoring social media channels on behalf of clients.
• Developing social media content and assisting in strategy development.

Events / community relations

• Coordinating events and community programs, working clients and suppliers.

Requirements:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Business, Marketing, Public Relations, or Arts.
• 1-2 years direct experience in public relations.
• Experience writing media materials, building media lists, and successfully earning coverage in editorial media.
• Strong media literacy and interest in local, national, and international current affairs and news.
• Active user of social media, including all major platforms. Experience in content development and monitoring.
• Exceptional writing and oral communications skills.
• A wealth of knowledge about, and passion for, the city of Vancouver.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Flexible with hours and able to respond to media inquiries / attend events outside the 9-5, Monday-Friday workweek.

Applicants are to send their cover letter and resume to info@elettra.ca.

Excited to share that starting this week, we have a fresh face at the Elettra offices - we're pleased to introduce you to our new intern, Leanne Kedrosky. Leanne is completing her final year as a Marketing Communications student at BCIT and wishes to use her passion and skills to pursue a career in public relations.  In her spare time, Leanne is a professional horseback rider and has an avid interest in painting and outdoor fitness.

Welcome to the Elettra team Leanne!

A hearty congratulations to Cassandra Parsons, who has been recently promoted to Account Manager at Elettra. Cassandra officially joined Elettra in August 2012 as Account Executive (with previous stints as an intern in 2010). The promotion recognizes Cassandra's hard work and stellar achievement in media relations and event production over the past year.

Volunteer Opportunity – Event Coordination Event: Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards

Date/Time: Monday, April 22nd 10:30am – 6pm (required) Sunday, April 21st 2pm – 5pm (if available)

Elettra Communications is looking for student volunteers to assist with Vancouver’s premier restaurant industry event. This opportunity will appeal to students who have an interest in public relations, publishing, marketing, or event management.  

Now in its 24th year, Vancouver Magazine’s Restaurant Awards event is the biggest of its kind in North America. Twenty of the city’s top food critics form the judging panel and vote on the best dining experience in more than 40 categories. The event itself includes a reception and awards show. The annual extravaganza welcomes more than 800 restaurateurs, chefs, sommeliers, suppliers, and food and wine critics.

Elettra Communications is the producer of Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant Awards. Elettra is a public relations firm that specializes in event management, media relations, and marketing consulting. For more information visit www.elettra.ca

Duties: Volunteers will assist with a range of activities including: • Event set up • Gift bag assembly and distribution • Guest check-in • Awards presenting/backstage coordination • Coat check

Benefit to you: • Event coordination experience. • Exposure to the behind-the-scenes workings of a large event. • Opportunity to build contacts in the PR, marketing, and publishing industries. • Lunch will be provided.

Dress code: All black. No jeans; no running shoes/sneakers.

How to apply: If you would like to volunteer for this opportunity, please contact cassandra@elettra.ca

In your email please provide a brief introduction of yourself, and include a description of your current course of study and your contact information.

Elettra Communications has an immediate opening for a public relations consultant with experience in media relations, issues management, and event management. Responsibilities:

• Act as day-to-day contact for clients.
• Participate in the development of PR strategies.
• Handle tactical execution of PR strategies from start to finish.
• Develop a variety of communications tools, including news releases, fact sheets, media statements, bios, articles, web copy, speeches, and client correspondence.
• Create targeted media lists – local and national.
• Develop effective pitches and successfully generate media coverage for clients.
• Handle incoming media inquiries.
• Develop social media strategies, assist clients with implementation.
• Develop messaging and provide guidance and coaching to spokespeople.
• Develop issues management strategies and key messages.
• Monitor coverage in traditional and social media, and develop project recaps.
• Provide event management support, as required.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Business, Marketing, Public Relations, or English.
• Minimum three years experience in a media relations-intensive position.
• Experience in PR account management.
• Proven track record of success garnering media coverage.
• Strong competency in social media strategy, content development, and monitoring.
• Experience with issues and crisis management in a communications environment.
• Experience providing coaching to company spokespeople.
• Exceptional writing abilities.
• Exceptional media literacy.
• Flexible with hours and able to respond to media inquiries / attend events outside the 9-5, Monday-Friday workweek.
• Previous experience in a PR agency setting will be considered an asset.

Applicants are asked to send their cover letter and resume to info@elettra.ca. We wish to thank all applicants for their interest. However, only those invited for an interview will be contacted.