Delaney (L) working a booth at Seafair.
As a student, Delaney Berreth (B.A., 2015) did everything she could to prepare herself for a job in the public relations industry. She was a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and served as Vice President during her senior year, she went with the Department on a Career Exploration trip to Los Angeles, and did five internships related to PR, social media, and communications.
Her plan worked as she landed a job before graduation as the Marketing & Communications Coordinator for Seafair, and she started full-time just two days after walking across the stage to accept her degree. Berreth is also on the professional advisory board for PRSSA at the UW and on the student outreach committee for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) of Puget Sound.
What does a typical work day look like?
“During the Seafair season a typical work day usually involves working on site at events in all sorts of capacities, from helping media get the interviews they want, to interacting with the public and telling them about Seafair, to setting up hospitality areas.
“During the offseason it’s more office-type work. I create recaps for our sponsors to show them exactly how we fulfilled our contracts, recruit new sponsors for the next season, and do a lot of planning for the upcoming season.
“Year-round a large part of my job description includes updating our website, social media and writing our eNewsletter.”
How did you find this job?
“I could make this story really long, but for the sake of everyone I’ll try to keep it short…
“I feel so honored and lucky to have been offered my current job after an informational interview with my current boss. She spoke at a PRSSA meeting and I immediately felt a connection with her as we both have backgrounds in theater and she has a lot of PR experience in the professional sports industry, something I’m very interested in. After our meeting she said she was hiring in her department and thought I’d be a good fit. I interviewed with Seafair’s CEO and HR Director a week or two later, and was offered the job a few weeks after that.
“Because I was still in school, I started working part-time almost immediately to get acquainted with the company. That way I wouldn’t be completely green once I started full-time after graduation, which also happens to be the beginning of Seafair’s season. I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to transition into my job slowly while still in school.”
Do you have any tips on finding a job for those still in school?
“Put yourself out there and network! I can’t endorse internships, informational interviews and professional organizations enough. During my time at the UW I had five internships, numerous informational interviews and went to as many PRSSA meetings as possible.”
What do you think is the single most important thing to do while in school to prepare for the real world?
“Be open to every opportunity and experience as much as possible. I never considered working for a nonprofit after graduation – I wanted to go the PR agency route. Keep your eyes open for opportunities that might not appeal to you at first glance, because after some research you might find it’s the perfect fit!”
Where do you hope to be in five years?
“I spent most of my college career stressing about where I’d be in the future, so right now I’m just enjoying my first real job.”
Anything to add?
“I highly recommend taking any and every class Kathleen Fearn-Banks offers – she knows the PR industry so well and is a great person to have in your network. Also, let’s do this again in five years or so when I’ve had a little more time away from school and have more advice!”