I’m Jonny Stone, and I’m leaving History in the past and looking forward to a new exciting career in public relations –
My third and final year of studying at the University of Reading came to an end in June, and what came with it was an immense sense of achievement. However, what also came with the completion of my degree in History was the sudden realisation that very soon I would no longer be able to refer to myself as a student, nor would I be able to declare my employment status as being “in full-time education”, but rather I would be unemployed. To say that I hadn’t really thought about my life after university until I had finished my final exams would be a lie, I had attempted to broach the subject of careers on numerous occasions, and had come away with a different career goal in mind every time. All I knew was that I did not want to become A) a history teacher, or B) a historian, despite the numerous suggestions from friends and family that these two careers were the only options available to history graduates.
I spent my final months at university assessing myself as an individual, but more importantly as a candidate. I knew that I both enjoyed and excelled at essay writing, was a seasoned researcher (thanks to the many, many hours spent in the library during my third year), and was able to juggle multiple tasks with relative ease. However, the most important thing I learnt about myself was that I was fascinated with the world around me. This innate curiosity could account for my deep interest in history, and proved to be one of the primary factors in my choice to pursue a career in PR. A job which not only necessitates but encourages spending hours reading different news articles – from politics to technology, requires an excellent handle on the English language, and also rewards those that are able to cultivate long-lasting relationships with others has proven to be the ideal fit for me, and I couldn’t be happier doing just that.
I applied to numerous roles within the PR sector, however when the opening to join the BlueSky Education team arose I jumped at the opportunity to join a credible, respected, and highly-specialised organisation in which I could garner hands-on experience from the best. From their extensive experience working with some of the world’s most prestigious universities and business schools, and the ironclad relationships they have nurtured with so many journalists, being offered the job with BlueSky Education presented the opportunity to be a part of something great.
Author: Jonny Stone
