How did you get your current job?
My secondary thesis advisor was at PRIO. He heard there was an opening in the communication department for a 6-month position, and he knew I had journalism experience. On his recommendation, I sent an open application to the director of the communication department, and had a short interview. The 6-month position was extended three times, and then I received a permanent contract.
What do you think were the most important factors for you getting the job?
Networking, being in the right place at the right time, and having the combination of skills they wanted (journalism and having studied peace and conflict).
What are your main responsibilities?
I do a little bit of everything. My day is usually spent fielding a combination of medium-sized projects and smaller requests that come in a constant stream. I promote PRIO research on social media, edit the blog, produce the podcast, connect researchers with journalists, run events, advise people on communication strategies, manage my interns, edit photos, and produce internal communication documents.
What are you working on right now?
Again, everything! But my favorite project is PRIO’s Peace in a Pod. I singlehandedly started this podcast just over three months ago and it’s such a fun thing to work on. I interview researchers and some outside partners and collaborators. Each week we have a new topic, whether that’s project findings or something in the news, or a historical look at an event – we cover it all! I love getting in-depth on new research and hearing about what people are working on.
How do you use your education from PECOS in your current job?
It’s very useful to have basic knowledge about what the researchers are working on so I can build on that when talking with them. I need to understand what they’re talking about so I help them communicate it! Having studied PECOS I love seeing the latest research being done in this field, and it’s especially fun to see how enthusiastic the researchers get about their work.
What are your best tips for students who want to become more attractive in the job market?
Pursue interests outside academia. Whether that’s other languages, skills, or part time jobs, anything out of the ordinary can come in handy. I wouldn’t have gotten this job without my student journalism experience. Developing an understanding of programs like Adobe Suite, or learning some basic HTML, anything like that can give you a huge leg up.