Erin Griffin is a 2016 Public Relations—Corporate Communications program graduate, but pursuing a career in PR was not initially in her plans. Erin wanted to become an elementary school teacher and was working on her degree while attending teacher’s college. That is until one day, she spoke with one of her co-workers who had gone to school for PR.
“She was telling me about the career—about the events, the writing, the fast pace – and I was intrigued,” Erin shares. Already feeling like teaching wasn’t quite the right career for her because of the risk of it being too stagnant, combined with hearing about the ins and outs of the PR industry from her colleague, Erin says everything just clicked.
“Very quickly, my whole life plan shifted, and I became laser-focused on getting into a great post-graduate PR program and starting my career in Toronto. What interested me the most about the field was the potential to use so many more of my skills than I felt I would be able to in teaching. I was excited about the idea of working on a number of clients at a time, no two days being the same, and much more opportunity for career growth,” she explains.
A field placement was a must-have for Erin when seeking programs she could pursue, as she knew this would provide her with her first experience in the industry. “I toured a number of schools with post-graduate PR programs, but Centennial appealed to me because it was downtown Toronto. I also appreciated how cozy and tight-knit the campus was, especially after coming from big lecture halls in my undergrad. I felt confident that it was an environment I could thrive in,” she says.
Reflecting on her time in the program, she found that the lessons she learned at Centennial remain pertinent to her career today. She explains, “Well, it has been a while since I graduated—eight years, what?!—but I felt that the skills I learned at Centennial were very foundational for my career. Because of what I learned in my program, I was able to hit the ground running in my field placement and make a great impression.”
She continues, “But really, the most valuable lessons I learned there were about networking, being open to opportunities—and feedback—and being professional. I took the program very seriously. I recognized that the instructors there were industry professionals and were my first important contacts in the industry, and I learned to embrace their feedback. These are all skills that I definitely use today and are some of the things that I think have made me successful in my career.”
LIFE AFTER GRADUATION
After completing the program in 2016, her field placement at Toronto PR firm Kaiser & Partners extended into an internship. From there, she was hired full-time and received several promotions before moving to an in-house role with one of her former clients.
In 2020, Erin was hired at the National Payroll Institute as a Communications Specialist and was promoted to the Manager of Public Relations, overseeing PR and Marketing, earlier this year.
“I’m very fortunate to work for an organization that encourages creative ideas and isn’t afraid of big ideas. We’ve launched a number of big PR/Marketing campaigns over the past few years and have lots more to come on the horizon! I love getting to connect with our members, travelling around the country to meet them and spend time with them as part of our campaigns. I most recently spent some time up in the Yukon for National Payroll Week,” she shares. “On a personal level, I got married and had my daughter, Isla. We love raising her in downtown Toronto. We’re very happy about the life and careers we’ve built here.”
You can hear more about Erin’s journey when she first started at the National Payroll Institute in her Where Are They Now? series submission on our Instagram.
PREPARING FOR THE INDUSTRY AND ADVICE TO STUDENTS
Erin says she definitely thinks the program prepares students for graduation, equipping them with the details necessary to pursue an industry as fast-paced as PR. "When I speak to students currently enrolled, I hear from many of them that they feel the program is 'intense,' but my feedback to them is that the career is also pretty intense. It's rewarding, and it's fun, but it's also very dynamic, and there is a lot to juggle," she explains.
She adds, “Beyond the basics of ‘how to write a press release,’ it’s very important to learn to multitask, stay organized and meet deadlines, and I’ve always felt the CCPR program does a good job of helping students acclimate to that kind of work environment.”
As for advice for prospective students, she says go for it. “My advice for those interested in the program would be to go for it and give it your all! Treat the program like your job, and it will be a very valuable first step for you in your PR career.”
She adds, “For those who have graduated, I would say be open to where your opportunities may take you. I always thought I would get into consumer/lifestyle PR, but instead, I took a more corporate route. But I love my job! I honestly couldn’t be happier in a role. You never know where you might end up.”
SELECTED AS SECRETARY FOR CPRS TORONTO’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Recently, Erin was selected to join the Executive team of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto's Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 term as Secretary. Having always had some involvement with CPRS since she was enrolled in the PR program, Erin has occasionally volunteered and began to really get involved with the Board when she says Janine Allen, her former boss and Partner at Kaiser & Partners, asked her to join on in 2022.
“She was the President of CPRS Toronto at the time. I joined as the Chair for the ACE Awards Gala, and in that role managed all of the planning and execution of the first in-person gala since pre-pandemic times. Although it was a ton of work and a lot to juggle, as I had newly returned from maternity leave and was managing the dynamic of balancing work and family – plus planning a 300+ person gala—it was a lot of fun and a great opportunity to collaborate with some pretty impressive professionals from across the City,” she explains.
“This year, I was elected to the role of Secretary. Again–you never know where your opportunities may take you. I just say ‘yes’ as often as possible,” she says.
In her role as Secretary, she explains that she will keep track of the happenings throughout the year for CPRS Toronto and help to share that information. “I will be planning the AGM in the spring and making sure we’re communicating with our members,” she adds.
Congratulations, Erin, on this exciting new venture! We wish you all the best in this role and are proud to follow you along in your journey in the PR industry.
Article by: Alexandra Few
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