Beatrice Meda talks about her move from Milan to London to further her career in luxury travel PR and offers her tips for easing the transition
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It’s well known that working abroad for a period of time can really make a difference when it comes to future work opportunities and personal growth. If we take a look at the main European cities, London is certainly considered to be a place of business opportunities in different sectors from finance to media and PR.
Compared to my hometown, Milan, I was personally quite overwhelmed to see how many PR agencies are there in London. This not only means more job opportunities, but also implies the presence of a wide group of industry professionals that can be instrumental for one’s career. Whilst I was very excited to move to the UK and start working for Fox Communications, pursuing a PR career in London can be challenging – let alone when a global pandemic kicks in!
To help those eager to make their next career move in the capital, here are my five tips to ease the transition and pursue a PR career in London:
Acquire Experience in an International PR Company First
The first thing I’d suggest if you plan to move to London to further your career in luxury travel PR is to start working for an international PR company – or at least a company that has an office in the UK – in your own country. This will help you get acquainted with certain roles that you will eventually find again when moving, as well as help you start building an international network of contacts that will be crucial for your future career goals.
Learn About British Media Landscape
We are lucky enough to live in a globalised world in which country-specific newspapers, TV shows and radio programmes are available on your phone from nearly everywhere in the world. Something I love doing – and helped me in recognising some top UK journalists even before I actually moved to London – is reading UK magazines when I travel: grab a copy of ELLE or Condé Nast Traveler when waiting for a flight, for example. Comparing content from different national editors of the same publication and observing what’s relevant to each target market is a great way to start thinking globally.
Follow International Tastemakers
Make the most of the global access we have on social media and follow the people that are at the forefront of trends in travel, lifestyle, and wellness in the UK or country you’re looking to move to. Follow magazine editors, influencers, affluencers, luxury brands, other communications agencies and business leaders. Reading international newspapers and magazines is crucial in order to decide who to follow and start familiarising yourself with the latest trends within the industry you work in.
Upgrade Your English
Focus on your English and take it seriously: PR is all about phrasing and playing with words and concepts. As mentioned above, reading magazines is super helpful in order to improve one’s English, so pair this with watching UK movies and TV shows, music and, of course, nurture friendships and relationships with UK peers. There are plenty of apps designed to improve your language skills and elevate your vocabulary game.
Make the Most of Your Personal Background
As much as you could initially feel behind your colleagues when you start working in a foreign city, remember you represent diversity within the company and you can provide a fresh approach to things thanks to your personal background and network.
For more information on careers at Fox Communications, please click here