Name: Alison Hicks

Age: 29

Role: PR Consultant

What is your job? I am a PR consultant for Troncossi Public Relations, one of the Island's leading public relations and social media consultancies. I advise clients from a range of different sectors on how to approach communicating with their many audiences, such as the Government, journalists, shareholders, employees, customers and other stakeholders. Not all news is good news, so I also help them to manage issues and potential crises that arise.

What is your favourite part of the job? I love to write. Companies now have a whole host of communications channels at their disposal, such as press releases, blogs, articles, e-newsletters, tweets and more. I enjoy tailoring information to suit the intended format and audience. The other aspect of PR that I really enjoy is becoming an overnight expert in a wide variety of topics as you need a solid understanding of what a client does and their market in order to plan a campaign. I have gained in-depth knowledge in topics as diverse as photovoltaic energy, wealth management, European business travel, health insurance, college architecture and sustainable development.

What is the least favourite part of the job? Working in public relations requires a great deal of creativity. We need to keep our ideas fresh and interesting to excite and inspire our clients and in turn those with whom they are communicating. However, as with any service, we have to remain cost-effective and timely. The hardest part of the job is not having an endless amount of time and a limitless budget to allow us to execute some of our great ideas in the way they were conceived.

What is your most interesting experience at work? Before I moved to Bermuda, I worked in London for a number of years, initially as a press officer for a public sector organisation that developed technology for the police force. In that role, I co-ordinated the press launch of roadside fingerprinting trials, which resulted in blanket broadcast coverage on the BBC, Sky News, ITV, channel 4 and channel 5 news, as well as over 80 pieces of national, regional and trade press coverage. My colleague and I were out on the road with the police officers all day, managing live and pre-recorded media interviews and it was really rewarding to come home and see it all play out on the evening news, on every channel.

What would you be doing otherwise? I am a keen photographer and my camera is a constant companion, so I would probably still be working in the media world, but with images rather than words.