Inside the London graduate programme: Q&A with Harrison Howard
January 10, 2020
Infinite Global’s London office recently expanded its growing team with the addition of five graduates. Our series of spotlight Q&A blogs introduces each of the new recruits so you can learn more about each of them.
We sat down with Harrison Howard, who joined Infinite Global as a PR executive, to learn more about what attracted him to the agency and what he hopes to achieve in his PR career.
Tell us about yourself
I am 24 years old, 6’ 5 inches tall and was born and raised in the Lake District. I have a passion for climbing mountains and playing guitar. I graduated from Durham University in 2018 with a BA in Politics.
How did you become interested in PR?
I have always been interested in current affairs, and I was looking for a sector which would allow me to engage with the news on a daily basis. PR is the perfect industry for this. I also enjoyed writing, which is an important aspect of the job. You are often required to take a complex subject and communicate it lucidly to a range of different audiences. This can be a challenge but it’s an enjoyable process.
What was your first week like?
My first week was great and everyone in the office was very welcoming. I had a lot of contact time with my managers and learned a great deal. Any nerves which I had quickly evaporated.
What sectors are you covering for your clients?
One of the good things about Infinite Global is that while we have a specialist focus on distinct sectors, there’s a broad range of topic areas within that which keeps us on our toes. I haven’t been pigeonholed into a particular sector and have been fortunate enough to be exposed to a broad range of interesting areas. At the same time, I’ve been able to do a deep dive and get up to speed quickly with the nuances and business needs of my portfolio of clients. The accounts I currently work with firms in the private client industry, but I also work with legal practices, from fraud, to debt finance, to charity law. I also have clients in the property sector.
What are you most excited about doing or learning?
I really enjoy engaging with the press, getting on the phone to journalists and being on the hard edge of the news agenda. Watching the senior team handle a media crisis has been really interesting and it is something I’d like to get more involved in as my career progresses here.
It is exciting to manage opportunities, work quickly and smartly to influence the media and see our clients get on the front pages as a result.
Tell us about your average day at IG
The day begins with media monitoring. Often, if we see a story in the media that a client can engage with and we need to act fast. It’s vital that we get content out to key contacts as quickly as possible, which is exhilarating.
How would you describe the culture and working environment?
The working environment is collaborative, supportive and fun. You interact with many different people in the company throughout your day, on a variety of accounts and projects. Feedback is always constructive, and the social side is fantastic.