PR for Professional Services

By: Laura Budwick

This past week, two seasoned PR professionals joined us to speak at our first chapter meeting of 2020. Associate Vice President, Sophie Cikovsky, and Senior Account Executive, Nicole Tackley, gave us an honest look at what life is really like at a firm that has been recognized as the “Best PR Firm” by the National Law Journal—Infinite Global. This first event set the tone for the rest of the semester and showed prospective professionals, like us, the ins and outs of content and digital communication services. But, what really made this event interesting  was that their specialization is in the legal sector. The whirlwind of work that comprises their day-to-day lives—from law firms and reporters to media outlets and clients– it truly seems like they are never bored; and if you are like me—where sitting stagnant in a cubicle all day would put you to sleep—this vibrant career should excite you! 

As a student interested in public relations, advertising or journalism, listening to these two women had me questioning where I would be in five to ten years. Cikovsky graduated from Bowdoin College with a major in Art History and look at her now...counseling industry leading companies on media relations, internal communication, branding and social media strategies in the legal industry. Ten years out of college, Cikovsky has spent most of her career at Infinite Global and does not seem to have any plans to change. Tackley is just as impressive. She’s only three years out of college, having graduated from Marist College with a degree in Public Relations and a minor in Business Administration, and she is already an Account Executive at Infinite Global. Tackley connects law firms and professional service organizations with key media contacts who earn them coverage and foster reliable relationships. This is the kind of results navigating students like us STRIVE to see when we graduate and are ready to hit the industry running. 

​Before I go, I am going to leave you with some simple advice they sprinkled throughout their speech:

• Read the news everyday– reading is the best way possible to improve writing 
• Be accessible 
• Get internships on your radar
• Press release drafting can be a nightmare
• Proofread your work 
• And lastly, make your bosses job as easy as you can!

Build your voice, your foundation, and most importantly, your network. Our time here at Syracuse is fulfilling, no doubt, but it’s also short-lived and I implore you to take advantage of every aspect before your years here leave you!

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