Manager at Panic PR.NZ
Priscilla Southcombe oversees all the clients at Panic PR.NZ, ensuring their expectations are being met, while delegating work and managing the team.
Key facts
Career: New Zealand manager
Programme: Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
Subjects: Politics and International Relations
"I am the manager at Panic PR.NZ, a boutique agency that offers tailored public relations (PR) and marketing solutions. I oversee all the clients, ensuring their expectations are being met, while delegating work and managing the team. Along with selling and signing new clients, I directly manage the key accounts and any large scale events or branding.
"Seeing an idea come to life, whether it be an ad, an event or full-scale branding, is extremely rewarding. We work alongside people who are passionate about what they do but struggle to communicate this to their target audience. To be able to achieve this for them and get results is a great feeling.
"I wanted to study subjects that interested me and that I genuinely enjoyed so I would get more out of the experience and end up in a career I loved.
"Studying politics teaches you how to think critically about certain issues and how different perspectives can change how they are viewed. While all my roles have been different, they have all involved being creative under high-pressure and this way of thinking has helped immensely.
You'll be surprised how flexible an Arts degree can be and the places it can take you.
"Working in PR is less about what you studied and more about being creative and having the right experience. Don't feel limited by what you studied, take a chance and apply for the roles that you may not have direct experience for as your fresh outlook might be exactly what they need.
"Studying a BA gave me the tools to excel in a field that I initially thought was out of my reach as I hadn't majored in PR. I was surprised how many employers have looked favourably on my degree and I wouldn't be where I am in my career without it."