*update*: Sereen Hindawi currently works as the Communications Associate for Cancer Care Ontario
Sereen Hindawi currently works for a small public relations company in Toronto as a PR Account Coordinator.
“The great thing about working for a small company is that you can contribute to an array of different tasks. My job is a fast-paced string of responsibilities and sudden urgent deadlines. I have contributed in everything from media monitoring to creating PR material to planning events,” says Sereen, who was previously a corporate communications intern at an advertising company and a public relations intern at her current company.
“Public relations requires strong written and verbal communication skills. In any business, you also need to be able to prioritize and organize all the tasks you’ve been given according to what is most crucial so good judgment is also necessary. Most importantly, PR offices are filled with different people from graphic designers to writers to the clients themselves so you must be able to work both alone and as part of a bigger team.”
When Sereen graduated in June 2007, her position went from PR intern to PR Account Supervisor and most recently PR Account Coordinator.
“I was lucky enough to have the company I interned with hire me as soon as I graduated. I believe that the internships I had were extremely useful. I was originally excited about going into the advertising field after graduation but after a six-month internship at an advertising company, I knew that it was not for me. A few months later I saw the posting for a PR intern, decided to try it and have been working in PR ever since,” she says.
“The internships and my active role on campus were very well received by everyone who looked at my resume. I was able to tailor each of the above specifically towards communication requirements. I think that it is important to spruce up your resume while you are at the university with a few relevant experiences be it helping a professor, joining a club, or interning."