Graduate Victoria Read, who recently spent some time at Crystal PR on work experience, offers some thoughts and advice on work experience in the world of PR...

Throughout school we were pushed towards going to university and gaining that prestigious degree, however in today's economic climate, it appears as though work experience is just as valuable, if not more so, when trying to start out on your career. I studied fashion journalism at Southampton Solent, and knew from taking a unit in my second year on PR that that was the industry I wanted to be a part of.

Here in Jersey it may seem as though we don't have the same opportunities as London, but you'd be surprised just how many pearls our little island holds.

Knowing I'd soon be coming back to Jersey and competing against thousands of other graduates, I thought it was important to start planning ahead. I began searching for local opportunities a few months before I was due to finish and stumbled across specialist business and financial services PR agency Crystal PR.

I am by no means an expert in financial services, and was quite concerned that I'd be completely out of my depth - but, with the support I was given, I needn't have been worried. Most have the perception that work experience is all about making the office hot drinks, rushing off to do errands and waiting around til the clock strikes 5, but that wasn't the case during my time spent at Crystal. My first day, for example, had me writing a press release, and I was even lucky enough to sit in on a client meeting.

Don't be put off thinking you should only gain experience in areas that you have knowledge in. I've gained a huge amount of knowledge during my week at Crystal, and things I probably wouldn't have been able to do had I stuck to my comfort zone.

The beautiful view of St Aubin's harbour from the office doesn't hurt either...