Path to Prosek: From PA to AAE - Jennifer Greene
Tel us about your Prosek experience - what’s it been like, and what have you been up to?
The last ten months at Prosek have been a wonderful whirlwind. Prosek is a special place to be – filled with challenging and rewarding experiences and a strong supportive network to guide you along the way. Through my work on both the Special Situations team and the proactive side, I have gained an incredible amount of experience from drafting materials for a complex cross-border M&A deal or coordinating with a reporter on a feature, and this is only the start!
What was the PA program like for you?
The PA program was an accelerant to my preexisting love for public relations and the media. As I studied PR for four years, including earning my master’s degree, the PA program felt like the first time I was truly putting my knowledge to the test. Through the program I felt empowered by my teams and the firm to learn more, fine tune my skills and not be afraid to take unfamiliar tasks head-on. On my journey from PA to now an AAE, I’ve gained invaluable experience.
The most important lesson I have learned at Prosek, that has benefitted me in both my personal and professional life, is the idea of failing fast. This is one of the many Prosek-isms I learned early on, and it had a huge impact on me.
Why would you recommend others join/apply to the PA program?
The primary reason I would recommend others to apply to the PA program if they are interested in public relations is the supportive learning that is built-in the program. Regardless of previous experience, I found that team members across all my projects and accounts were dedicated to building my skills and truly setting me up for success. Additionally, at a firm level, the frequent bootcamps, or teach-ins, on various industry verticals and skills, from personal organization to how to build relationships with reporters, have been essential to building the foundations of my career as a public relations professional.
What are the top 1-2 things you’ve learned at Prosek so far, and how have those lessons helped you succeed here?
The most important lesson I have learned at Prosek, that has benefitted me in both my personal and professional life, is the idea of failing fast. This is one of the many Prosek-isms I learned early on, and it had a huge impact on me. As someone who is a bit of a perfectionist, the idea of taking on a task that was unfamiliar would often frighten me as I was scared to do it wrong. Then, once this idea was articulated, it was like the lightbulb above me lit up. I’ve recognized that the only way to learn and learn quickly is to just try, and then go from there. If I failed, then I learned and never made the same mistake twice.
If you had to choose, what’s been your favorite moment at Prosek since joining?
It’s hard to choose just one moment, however, I think my favorite was the first M&A deal I worked on – a pivotal regional bank merger with national implications, and an announcement day that I would deem my trial by fire. The planned after-market announcement was obstructed by a leak in The Wall Street Journal, which opened the floodgates for an unprecedented amount of media coverage before the announcement had even been issued. Imagine yourself with only a month under your belt and unfamiliar with the standard announcement day protocols, shifting to a completely different plan of action on the spot. That day was a sprint, but our strategy worked, and I have come to learn that preparing our clients for everything, and navigating the unexpected for them, is what we do best.
Once the frenzy was over, all I could do was smile because what I had just experienced was challenging and admittedly difficult, but I did it.
Over the last ten months, I have often had experiences often where the work is challenging and complex, but that is what makes it all so rewarding. I learn more every day and find that I am more capable than I ever believed myself to be. Most importantly, I’m looking forward to more of these moments. 