As recent graduates, we found ourselves at a crossroads, trying to determine what career path to follow. Communications and marketing always caught our interest, but we were unsure which direction to take. That was when we discovered PR, and we knew right away it was the right fit for us. So, when we heard about the Tyto Accelerator Programme, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to apply.
The interview process at Tyto was unlike any we had encountered before. It was intense and thorough, consisting of multiple rounds of interviews with different team members. This depth of questions allowed us to get to know the team better and understand the company’s culture and values more deeply. Also, our interviewers were open to and encouraged us to ask questions about the company. The interview process did make a lot of sense to us as soon as we were integrated into the team—everyone got on, and supported each other so well, creating a unique and encouraging work environment.
Our first venture into the world of PR
Once accepted into the programme, we were eager to start our journey in PR. The Tyto Accelerator started with a week-long in-person training programme in London introducing the essentials of PR, from communication with journalists to the B2B tech sector to content writing, as well as the basics around our PRWithoutBorders™ model. In London, we also got to know several team members in person, helping us to smoothly integrate into the team. After this Welcome Week, we began working fully remotely. This shift presented a great opportunity for us to develop our remote work skills. The team we work with are diverse, talented, and extremely supportive. They were, and still are, always available to answer our questions and offer guidance whenever we needed it. We learnt how to effectively communicate and collaborate with our team and stay organised and productive whilst working from home. We also internalised the importance of adaptability and flexibility through this.
Furthermore, we also collaborated on a group project, creating a mock PR plan. For newcomers like us, this was a challenging task but also a truly instructive one: We brought in our previous learnings and combined our ideas creatively. Eventually we presented our plan to other team members who gave us valuable feedback. The group project and the other trainings prepared us for upcoming tasks and showed us the variety of subject areas in PR.
Work from anywhere, with the best team
The location-agnostic model stood out to us the most when applying for this role, knowing the opportunity to work from anywhere and the freedom that comes with that. Since starting this role, we truly believe this model has boosted our motivation and productivity, as well as giving us more control over our time. Furthermore, through the Tyto Passport scheme we can meet colleagues from abroad and work together in person. Similarly, the Tyto Hackweek is not only a refreshing break from the daily work routine but also an effective method for team building. Although everyone at Tyto works remotely, one feels truly connected to the team.
We have learnt so much about the PR industry during our first few months at Tyto, gaining valuable hands-on experience in areas such as media outreach and content creation. Each project presented its own unique challenges and opportunities, and we feel much more confident in our PR skills as a result.
In conclusion, our experience with the Tyto Accelerator Programme has been incredibly valuable. We are grateful for the chance to work with such a talented and supportive team and feel well-equipped to succeed in the PR industry. This opportunity has opened a world of possibilities for us, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.
Written by Kaziwa Baqi and Jan Angermeier