Veronica Veselinova
MA Public Relations (2016)
Veronica studied an MA in Public Relations with the University of Sunderland, graduating in 2016. She is now working as a PR and Outreach Executive at Mason Frank International a global salesforce recruitment agency. Veronica was able to secure her position with Mason Frank International prior to graduating in 2016. Whilst being a noteworthy achievement, Veronica explains that, “Completing my master’s degree while working 30 hours a week at the same time was one of the biggest challenges that I have ever faced!”
We asked Veronica what her job currently entails, "I am responsible for gaining meaningful press for tech recruiters Mason Frank International. On a daily basis we work with a number of respected publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg, the Guardian and Yahoo News. As well as earning national and international exposure, we use various white hat link building techniques to drive traffic and targeted referrals for the business. This also includes building relationships with a variety of industry influencers."
We wanted to know why Veronica chose to study with the University of Sunderland, “I chose the University of Sunderland as I’d studied Sports Journalism there previously and was aware of the excellent reputation the media department had. The PR course was pitched to me during a lecture at the end of my final year, and the excellent employment opportunities that came with it were really appealing. Another big factor in my decision-making process was the internship scheme offered to graduates from the University of Sunderland.” Veronica also told us about her biggest influence whilst studying at the University, “The various opportunities to gain practical experience using facilities such as the Media Hub, Spark FM and the news room. While on my PR course, the most influential person I came in contact with was definitely my programme leader, Diane Green.”
Veronica had some advice for future graduates, “Be proactive! Definitely set up an appointment with a careers advisor; they’ll be able to offer support in terms of mapping out the type of opportunities your current skillset is best suited to. Don’t give up, the interview process can be really frustrating, but each time you go through it, you learn something new. If you’re lacking the skills needed by an employer, look to gain further work experience. Finally, there are graduate schemes offered by some companies, which is another way into the world of employment.”
Veronica also told us what she would have done differently, “I would have explored the job market a lot earlier and in more detail, to map out the most in-demand skills in graduate recruitment. This would have impacted on the type of companies I approached, and put me in the best position to respond to the requirements of the job market.”
We asked Veronica who her biggest influences were, “At work, my biggest influences are the people I work with on a daily basis. Some inspire you by having an amazing approach and being really good at their job, while others challenge you—both inspire me to grow and be the best version of myself.”
We also wanted to know what Veronica was planning to do next, “I’d like to reach my potential, and hopefully push myself continuously so that the scope for that is always expanding. If I can do that, then I’ll have been successful as you can hope to be.”