Young and powerful: Nicola Amos’ guide to making it in PR
Hollywood loves slapping a PR job title on rich, glamorous professionals as a vague background for the cocktail parties, black tie events and the incalculable amount of cocktails the character will breeze through over the course of the film. An office may be shown – solely for its impressive view and deluxe décor – but little work will be done. After all, isn’t that the life of a PR executive? All play and it counts as work?
Yes and no. Just ask Nicola Amos, Associate Director for PR company M18.
It’s true that Nicola’s work with M18 involves managing high-profile clients in the restaurant and hospitality business. It’s true that she got her start in London and has spent more than five years working in NYC at prestigious agencies serving memorable clients. It’s also true that it took a lot of hard work to get there, and that she’s still working hard today.
The Start of Something Big
So how did this powerhouse get her start?
“I had a friend who worked in the PR industry that felt that I could be a good fit. I decided whilst studying at university in London that I wanted to get on-site experience working in PR to get my feet wet.”
Through a retail job, Nicola earned an internship with a Covent Garden fashion PR agency and hasn’t looked back since. However, that didn’t mean the hard work was over.
“In the U.S., I had to start from scratch and do a ton of research, as well as familiarise myself with their PR firms both in-house and agency. Tools like Le Book proved to be really helpful. I landed the job several months after living in NYC.”
That job was with the prestigious Nadine Johnson and Associates Inc., and her friend’s prediction of a good fit proved true. Nicola started off with handling high profile clients like the André Balazs properties and working on events like the opening of the Boom Boom Room. After building a strong network, forging connections and gaining experience, Nicola felt ready to join M18 public relations.
Living the Dream
Hollywood’s PR creations bypass any sign of skill, tenacity or work ethic, but Nicola’s experiences and advice to job seekers is just the opposite. “Be indispensable, and ask the right questions. Be informed on current news that relates to the field you’re interested in working in, as well as that country/city in general. [You need] good writing skills, [to] be a go getter, a multitasker and do everything with a smile. Sometimes you have to deal with managing expectations – both on the client side and the journalist side. That can be difficult.”
Although it required more work than a movie montage, Nicola is living her dream: residing in NYC and working with stellar clients. “I’ve always been interested in current events, trends, social media, etc., which are all vital to this line of work.”
Are you interested in a rewarding career that will challenge and excite you? Looking to stay on top of trends, technology and public opinion? Are you a self-motivated go-getter that knows she’s got skills to share? Take a page out of Nicola’s playbook and dive deep into the world of PR.
Who knows? Five years from now this might be an article about you.
Want to know more about Nicola and her career in Public Relations? Follow her on Instagram at @nicamos12.
