An introduction to London working life

When I was offered the opportunity to work in London for the summer, I thought I would be a fool not to go. I love to travel and the last time I came to the UK I only experienced the city for a day. Besides seeing the sights London had to offer, I wanted to immerse myself in the city’s culture, and the best way to do this is by working and living here, so that is what I’ve done.

Last year, I worked in Los Angeles at a fashion PR firm, located in the bustling area of West Hollywood. There I was able to gain a foundation in the field, which I am hoping to build upon this year. Although I have previous experience, what made me most nervous about coming to London was not being sure of what to expect in a new environment. I was not sure what the differences would be because of the location or focus of the firm nor did I know how these would affect my work.

During my first day, I tried to appear calm and collected whilst I was very nervous. When I started working, I realized that I was over thinking things and did not have to worry. As I started to become more acquainted with Rochester, my original nervousness started to wash away and four days later my first week was officially over. After looking back and reflecting on that week, I can honestly say that there are not large differences between PR in London versus PR in LA. We still look for various types of coverage in media, but they are different publications and platforms. We do research for our clients, but instead of finding the contact information for stylists, I am finding other information relevant to our clients’ businesses.

When being placed in a new situation where a person has limited knowledge, people often try to draw conclusions and focus on the differences between familiar and new. Other than unfamiliar terms and some spelling variations, I have tried not to focus on every difference between the United States and the United Kingdom. My reason for this is that experiences, as my English teacher once told me, “are meant to be enjoyed and trying to analyze every part can make them lose their meaning and become less enjoyable.” As my second week approaches, I am eager to learn more about PR with a different focus while continuing to discover the wonderful things London has in store for me.