My journey at BHM began with an Instagram direct message. A friend told me he saw a job hiring and sent me the page to apply and without any hesitation, I did. The concept of BHM intrigued me. I liked the fact that BHM would play its part in changing the narrative and misconceptions people had about Nigeria here in the UK. I wanted to be part of the storytelling. I went through quite a long interview process and finally, there was a resumption date.
August 2nd, 2021 is a memorable day for me. It will be remembered as the day I became a public relations consultant at BHM UK. It is also more memorable as I am one of the first-ever consultants here. Like almost everyone that starts out at a new place, I had work jitters and was feeling nervous on the first day. That feeling was short-lived as everyone made me feel welcomed and that helped tremendously with my settling in.
I am still relatively new at BHM, however, during this short while, I have met new people, learned new things, and my approach to all things communications has changed.
My first 14 days at BHM have been filled with knowledge. Every day, there is something new to learn either by personal readings from research, materials provided from BHM, or through conversations with the lead consultants. There is always something new to learn and it says a lot about the company. There are still a ton of things I need to learn but I know with time, I would be fully absorbed in the BHM culture and system.
I was surprised and impressed with the Macbook as opposed to Dell and HP that most organizations tend to give remote workers here in the UK. I joked around and told my friends I work for a fancy company. As the days passed, it became clear that BHM invests in ensuring there is quality in everything associated with the company name and it is also reflected in everybody that works with the company and the expectations of the quality of work expected from everyone.
My experience at BHM has been interesting and has left me curious. Curious in terms of what to expect and how I will perform with tasks assigned.
The handover or onboarding process has felt quite overwhelming. This was not a shock to me. I expected this because the UK team has to align with the Nigerian team. Hence, the information feels like a lot at once but it is gradually coming together.
The other overwhelming bit comes from being the new member. Being a new team member, it is important to me to grasp everything at a relatively fast pace.
On a positive note, the company is well organized and everything is available when requested for.
The feedback on my first task, the press release, and the caption made me doubt myself a little but it is a necessary push in the positive direction.
I like the work culture here at BHM. Everything is so simplified and coordinated. Although work is virtual, there is good synergy, a good information flow between BHM Nigeria and BHM UK. Everyone is easily accessible and has offered to assist if I am ever feeling lost or need further understanding of tasks assigned.
Working at a PR agency is different from being a social media manager or just working within the marketing department of an organization as I had previously done. Working at BHM is entirely different, every detail is observed and agreed on. During my first few days at BHM, I have come to appreciate Public Relations Practitioners more. A lot of hard work and hours of meetings and endless brainstorming goes into the production campaigns, social media posts, and just making sure that the client is beyond satisfied.
Life at BHM has revealed a new world of emails and meetings to me. I am familiar with having meetings and receiving emails here and there but since our main communication mode is via emails and meetings, It has taken emails and meetings to an entirely different level. I like how engaging it is. I don’t imagine it would be any different if work was not remote.
Days of being a newbie are officially over. I have had the opportunity to start working on some tasks within the company. I am currently working on a Shoprite communications plan for the Otta store turnover. I have been present at different meetings and written some contact reports. I can already tell there is a high standard required working here at BHM but I am ready to work beyond expectations. Like everyone has hinted, it would not be an easy ride but it would make me a better public relations consultant therefore the hard work will be rewarding.
I am comfortable with working remotely. The first week was not really structured for me but I have gotten into some form of routine and has helped me structure myself and time better. I know I have not gotten to the peak of my busy days here at BHM and will need to structure my days and time better then. For now, I have a routine that I am comfortable with.
Being one of the first consultants here at BHM UK is very important and historical for me. I am part of the story here and it is such an honor to be a part of BHM UK history. For me, I would like to make a difference and be a part of the growth story here at BHM. I would like to make an impact as I learn and grow into an excellent consultant. By the end of the probationary period, I want to see improvement in my communication skills and have added significantly to the growth and development of BHM. I liken BHM UK to a baby and I hope to instill values into the company and learn from the company too.
In the near future, I see myself handling accounts comfortably without supervision and growing with the company.
Finally, I am delighted to be part of team BHM UK and look forward to bridging communications in UK and Africa one client at a time.