Have you ever wondered what it would be like to make the move from journalism to PR? Our latest recruit, PR & Digital Account Executive, Daniela Loffreda, did just that. She shares her thoughts with us along with the three things she’s learned about PR agencies since moving ‘to the dark side’.

Just a few months ago, I decided to make a rather daunting career change and step away from my role as a senior journalist, working in an industry I’d grown to know well, and pursue a new career in public relations. The decision wasn’t one I made easily. I love journalism and loved being a reporter, but I knew I was ready for a new challenge, and PR seemed like the perfect place to find that.   

Joining Eden in September 2023 as a PR & Digital Account Executive, I’ll admit I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Yes, I’d interacted with press officers almost daily in my previous role, but journalists only really get to see a small fraction of what it’s all about.  Now just over three months into my new role, and with an ever-growing range of clients, here are the three key things I’ve learned since making the switch from journalism. 

No two days will be the same.
Working at Eden means I get the chance to work with a great range of business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients, all with different goals to achieve and audiences to reach. I’ve been fortunate enough to get stuck in writing copy not just for consumer news titles, but also for trade press – which has been an interesting learning curve, but one which I’ve embraced. They say that no two days are the same in the newsroom and fortunately that hasn’t changed since I started my new role in PR, thanks to the real range of content I get to produce.  

You’ll still be writing lots of copy.
Many journalists who switch to PR naturally fear that they’ll be writing less copy than before. While I’m no longer turning around multiple stories a day, I’m still getting to craft numerous pieces of content every week ranging from standard releases through to publication-specific exclusives and social media content. There’s lots of creative freedom to enjoy in finding the right style, tone and content of press releases, which is something I’ve particularly enjoyed since joining the Eden team.  

People skills really are key
Much like journalism, being a good communicator is a must when working in PR. While it’s something I’d acknowledged as a reporter, it’s certainly something I’ve gained a new appreciation for since gaining first-hand experience as an account executive. Not only is essential to know how to pitch well and sell your stories to the media, but you also need to know how to manage each client and build a working and trusting relationship there. This can often feel like a fine balancing act, but getting it right feels incredibly rewarding and can achieve amazing results.   

Overall, I’d say that journalists contemplating making the jump to working in public relations shouldn’t be put off by the thought of starting again in a new industry. While the processes and systems can seem a little daunting at first, journalism gives you a range of transferable skills you can use to your advantage in the world of PR!  

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the past few months at Eden and, moving forward, I’m excited to continue learning and developing as a PR professional, refining my skillset and delivering fantastic results for our clients.