From university to a job with a positive impact

Dear Romy, You recently graduated – congratulations on completing your Master of Arts in Public Relations and Digital Marketing! What was the topic of your master’s thesis?

Thank you very much! My thesis is titled “The climate crisis as an object of political communication”. In it, I compare the social media communication of the top candidates before and after the 2021 federal election in a content analysis.

Why did you choose a topic related to the climate crisis?

My first Fridays for Future demonstration triggered the impulse in me to orient myself towards a job with a positive impact. In this context, I was also influenced by aspects of the content of my studies: I am thinking first of all of the module content related to PR ethics with Prof. Kurp and CSR communication with Prof. Tebrake (CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility, editor’s note). These topics were further explored in courses outside of the “normal lectures”. I found the guest lecture by the Chairman of the German Council for Public Relations, Prof. Lars Rademacher, in a module by Prof. Besson particularly exciting – among other things, it dealt with the ethical framework for science PR. But interesting impulses were also repeatedly provided in the lecture series on the topic of ecological transformation.

The longer I deal with the topic, the more I realize: climate communication presents us communicators with very special challenges. The climate crisis is insanely complex and multi-layered, it has to be thought of in the long term and it is in constant competition with other crises. Unfortunately, I have the impression that this topic, which actually concerns us all, is not heard enough by the general public or is not constructively discussed there.

In my master’s thesis, I found that the climate issue is communicated by politicians in a very abstract way: for example, they talk about “2 degrees of global warming” without saying what that specifically means for our lives. Sometimes it is presented as if the problem lies in the future and could still be completely averted – I feel that the communicative discussion of adaptation to the consequences of climate change is missing. Furthermore, the debate is shaped by narratives that are anything but constructive. For example, it gives the impression that climate protection would restrict freedom and prosperity. In my opinion, climate protection is precisely about preserving freedom – for future generations as well – and securing prosperity in the long term.

It is extremely important to take everyone with us in our communication by conducting a debate that is based on science, unembellished and honest, but also adapted to individual life realities. Democracy only works with communication. On a psychological level, it is completely understandable that people initially adopt a defensive attitude when they are told that “we have to do things differently now.” We humans don’t like change – but that’s what’s needed now. That’s why it’s super important to take everyone with us in terms of communication by conducting a debate that is science-based, unvarnished and honest, but also adapted to individual life realities. On the climate crisis as well as on other socio-political issues. Democracy only works with communication.

Besides this main focus, what kind of “technical” topics did you find particularly exciting during your studies?

In the bachelor’s and master’s programs, definitely the practical projects. The motivation is simply different when you’re dealing with a real client – that’s why the collaborations with the media group RTL, the Cologne exhibition center and the Bonn branch of the Lebenshilfe mental health charity stand out in my mind as highlights. During my studies, I also discovered my passion for scientific work – that’s why journalism research with Prof. Artsiomenka and applied PR research methods with Prof. Besson were among my favorite modules.

In the master’s program, I also particularly liked the PR lab with lecturer Katja Kreutzer, where you practice self-presentation and do camera training. She took a lot of time to give each of us individual feedback. In general, I think it’s great at the Media University that you have this individual exchange with the lecturers and professors – I really appreciated always having people around me who, on the one hand, constructively criticize me and, on the other hand, also repeatedly point out my strengths.

As just mentioned, you already have your undergraduate degree in B.A. Journalism and Corporate Communications from the Media University. How did your interests develop during your studies?

I wanted to be a journalist since I was 10 years old, and that’s why I ended up here at the university when I turned 19. However, my focus of interest gradually shifted within the course of studies – but less in the direction of corporate communication and more in the area of non-profit communication. Social media as a new professional field also influenced my development. A year after I started my studies, I started a blog myself, “Mein digitales Wohnzimmer” (My Digital Living Room). Here I deal with topics such as sustainability, politics, media, productivity, studying and personal development. This allowed me to practice editorial work, which has significantly improved my writing style over the years – much to the delight of my lecturers, I think.

What’s next for your blog and, above all, for you?

Studying and student life were an important focus of my blog – that will now, of course, no longer be the case. I will still use the blog to share my experiences and thoughts. But then probably more on professional topics, on working life, etc. In any case, I am glad that I chose the name. I am deeply convinced that both sides benefit when research and practice are considered together.
For me personally, an important new phase of life began at the beginning of September: my first full-time job. I now work at the agency ‘neues handeln’ in Cologne and advise ministries and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) I realized in the first few weeks that this is absolutely my dream job. In the long term, however, I can very well imagine that at some point I will be drawn back into academia on the side and I will combine the agency world with the world of academia. I am very happy that flexible working models now exist that make So, let’s see what else is in store… Right now, I’m very happy: I’ve made a very good decision not only in my choice of university but also in my choice of career!

Do you have any final advice for people starting their careers?

In my opinion, when you’re starting your career, it’s important to know what you stand for and then to apply to companies whose vision and values match your own.
In my experience, companies are particularly interested in practical experience. That’s why I would recommend to everyone that they gain practical experience through internships or part-time jobs during their studies. My mandatory internship, which I completed in influencer marketing, my freelance work as a social media consultant and the editorial experience I gained through my blog have definitely helped me. Grades are really irrelevant – no one has asked me for my master’s certificate to date. However, you can score points with a master’s thesis topic that is tailored to your own professional goal – that was a perfect fit for me. In addition, when starting your career, I think it’s also important to know what you stand for and then to apply to companies whose visions and values match your own. I believe that nothing is more convincing than when you are truly passionate about something!

Dear Romy, thank you very much for the interview and all the best for your future!