Oh, hello. Thought you wouldn’t hear from me again, did ya? I’m here to share some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned throughout my professional career—from my days as an advertising and public relations student at Grand Valley State University, to my internship at 8THIRTYFOUR, and my now formal career at FischTank PR.
And who am I? That’s one secret I’ll never tell (just kidding, this is Amberly Dzimira, and yes, I stole that line from Gossip Girl).
LESSON ONE: Don’t Overthink It (But Maybe Put Some Thought Into It)
I’m starting this off with an embarrassing confession: I knew absolutely nothing about PR before I decided to major in it. After being admitted to GVSU, I was browsing the course catalog and thought, “Huh, public relations, I guess I’m good at relating to people.” After watching one (1) YouTube video in a day-in-my-life vlog format, I decided to fully invest the next four years of my life—and foreseeable future—into this career. Totally understand if you have to bounce, I’m clearly not the most qualified to be throwing out career advice.
Oh, hello. Thought you wouldn’t hear from me again, did ya? I’m here to share some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned throughout my professional career—from my days as an advertising and public relations student at Grand Valley State University, to my internship at 8THIRTYFOUR, and my now formal career at FischTank PR.
And who am I? That’s one secret I’ll never tell (just kidding, this is Amberly Dzimira, and yes, I stole that line from Gossip Girl).
LESSON ONE: Don’t Overthink It (But Maybe Put Some Thought Into It)
I’m starting this off with an embarrassing confession: I knew absolutely nothing about PR before I decided to major in it. After being admitted to GVSU, I was browsing the course catalog and thought, “Huh, public relations, I guess I’m good at relating to people.” After watching one (1) YouTube video in a day-in-my-life vlog format, I decided to fully invest the next four years of my life—and foreseeable future—into this career. Totally understand if you have to bounce, I’m clearly not the most qualified to be throwing out career advice.
It somehow worked out. While I was shocked to discover there was more to the major than simply having the ability to relate to people, my eagerness to learn set me up for success.
Outside of the classroom, one of the best decisions I made was joining Grand Valley’s Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (love you, GVPRSSA). This path led me to a network of mentors and friends I still remain close with, despite being five hours away.
I won’t sit here and name all of my involvements and achievements in college, because that’s boring and what LinkedIn is for, but the moral of the story is I never turned down an opportunity to immerse myself deeper into my future career.
So the biggest lesson learned during this era of my life? It’s okay to not have everything figured out before taking a leap. Sometimes it’s best to dive in headfirst and learn as you go.
It somehow worked out. While I was shocked to discover there was more to the major than simply having the ability to relate to people, my eagerness to learn set me up for success.
Outside of the classroom, one of the best decisions I made was joining Grand Valley’s Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (love you, GVPRSSA). This path led me to a network of mentors and friends I still remain close with, despite being five hours away.
I won’t sit here and name all of my involvements and achievements in college, because that’s boring and what LinkedIn is for, but the moral of the story is I never turned down an opportunity to immerse myself deeper into my future career.
So the biggest lesson learned during this era of my life? It’s okay to not have everything figured out before taking a leap. Sometimes it’s best to dive in headfirst and learn as you go.
LESSON TWO: Choose the Internship with Dogs
I’ve had a handful of part-time jobs and internships during my time as a student, but my time at 8THIRTYFOUR really solidified the love I had for my major while actually showing me what the hell I’d be doing after graduation (which I clearly needed after my thorough research). Plus, Kim had eight dogs at the time, so there was no place I’d rather be.
My internship experience looked a lot different than anyone else’s I knew. I was leading full media campaigns, social media accounts, and in-person interviews with local broadcast stations. I was trusted with a new level of responsibility and given the space to explore my skills as a PR professional without any micromanaging, and in return, I felt comfortable asking for more.
I was always drawn to media relations. I especially loved the local campaigns where I would write handwritten thank you letters to reporters after securing placements for our clients. After a few months at the firm, I sought out more opportunities to assist with media strategy development and content creation.
Ultimately, asking for more expanded my capabilities and results—which look great on a portfolio. This built up my confidence in securing earned media and gaining a deeper understanding of niche client subject matter, leading me to my full-time career at FischTank PR, where I’m currently a Senior Account Executive executing media relations for a roster of B2B and tech clients.
In case I’m doing a terrible job of articulating myself, the lesson learned here is to fully immerse yourself in the process. Being a young professional can really suck at times, but view it as your chance to experiment and explore (and be okay if you mess up). Go to the networking event, ask for additional job responsibilities, attempt to learn the tough subject matter. Embrace the discomfort.
Ultimately, asking for more expanded my capabilities and results—which look great on a portfolio. This built up my confidence in securing earned media and gaining a deeper understanding of niche client subject matter, leading me to my full-time career at FischTank PR, where I’m currently a Senior Account Executive executing media relations for a roster of B2B and tech clients.
In case I’m doing a terrible job of articulating myself, the lesson learned here is to fully immerse yourself in the process. Being a young professional can really suck at times, but view it as your chance to experiment and explore (and be okay if you mess up). Go to the networking event, ask for additional job responsibilities, attempt to learn the tough subject matter. Embrace the discomfort.
LESSON THREE: You Don’t Have to Change Who You Are for a Job
The HR influencers out there are screaming!!! I once stumbled on a TikTok (don’t ask me to find it—I’ve already spent 20 minutes trying) that listed out the top things not to do at a company. I watched in horror as one of these HR influencers rattled off a series of behaviors that I indeed do, including sharing life details with colleagues, forming friendships at work, and being one of the last people at company happy hours.
Newsflash: We spend 40+ hours a week working. On average, we spend about one-third of our lives at work, amounting to roughly 90,000 hours. When preparing to move post-grad and applying for full-time jobs my senior year, these were numbers I did not take lightly, and I recommend any students reading this to do the same under similar circumstances.
In an interview, it’s just as important for you to assess whether you can see yourself at the company as it is for them to evaluate whether you’re a fit for the role.
Luckily, I’ve only worked with amazing teams who have accepted me with open arms—and my pet mice. I’ll always prefer a conversation about weekend plans instead of the weather. Some of my best friendships have formed in a work setting. And sue me if I want to close out the happy hour!
This isn’t a lesson I’ve had to learn, but it’s a belief that has only been reinforced through my personal experiences. Obviously, be smart and kind out there, but don’t feel like you need to completely alter your personality for the sake of pleasing others.
In an interview, it’s just as important for you to assess whether you can see yourself at the company as it is for them to evaluate whether you’re a fit for the role.
Luckily, I’ve only worked with amazing teams who have accepted me with open arms—and my pet mice. I’ll always prefer a conversation about weekend plans instead of the weather. Some of my best friendships have formed in a work setting. And sue me if I want to close out the happy hour!
This isn’t a lesson I’ve had to learn, but it’s a belief that has only been reinforced through my personal experiences. Obviously, be smart and kind out there, but don’t feel like you need to completely alter your personality for the sake of pleasing others.
Until Next Time
Hopefully these lessons can inspire your career in the same way they’ve helped shape my own. I should head out, this blog is getting kind of long. In true 8THIRTYFOUR fashion: I’ve got some wine to drink and dogs to pet.
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