KETCHUM UK'S INCLUSION COUNCIL 'SPOTLIGHT SERIES' WITH SHACE MINCHER
Ketchum UK’s Inclusion Council returns with another ‘Spotlight Series’, this month featuring Shace Mincher, New Business Account Coordinator, who sheds light on his journey into PR and his role at Ketchum.
- Describe your role in five words or less
Helping to grow Ketchum UK.
- In a sentence, tell us about your career to date
I started out at a small consultancy, working primarily with start-ups to help develop their business plans, and then moved to Ketchum where I sit in the growth team whose remit spans both New Business and Marketing.
- What energises you most about your role?
My role is very dynamic and there’s a lot of variation from week to week. Some weeks will be more coordination- and content-focused if we’re working on an upcoming pitch, and other weeks I might be writing award entries, so having a mix of both strategic and creative responsibilities keeps things fresh. Although I don’t work directly with our clients, I get to work with people from pretty much every department at Ketchum, and it’s nice to have that window into all different areas of the business and learn a little something from everybody I work with.
- What skill(s) are you building right now?
Recently, I’ve really enjoyed taking on more design responsibilities for some New Business opportunities where we’ve given prospects an insight into our pitch team and recent work via a designed micro-site which is shared ahead of time. It’s been a fun challenge getting to grips with a new bit of software (and all its idiosyncrasies), and it’s always a nice feeling when you’re learning something new and it all starts to click.
- Who or what inspires you?
There are some very smart people here at Ketchum, and I take a lot of inspiration from the strategy and creative meetings we have for New Business opportunities, where I can listen to those teams dissect a brief in a way that just wouldn’t come naturally to me. They can turn a complex business challenge into a simple, consumer-facing idea in a matter of days which I’m always impressed by, and even more so when that idea addresses a real-word problem in an effective and memorable way.
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Work smarter, not harder.
- What are your top tips for people thinking of a career in comms?
As somebody working in a non-traditional comms role, I would say it’s important to stay open-minded and consider the many different avenues that are available in this industry, and just get your foot in the door. Particularly in agencies, the working environment is typically quite agile and with lots of cross-collaboration, so I’d recommend putting yourself forward for opportunities outside of your remit where possible, and then hone in on where you want to specialise moving forward. Aside from that, comms life is quick and often very reactionary, so it’s important to be comfortable working at pace.
- What can the sector do to encourage diversity?
Efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive employee experience should begin before you even walk through the door, so getting the recruitment process right is key. Ketchum does a really good job of making this as transparent and accessible as possible to remove any potential bias, by removing identifying information and encouraging candidates to present interview tasks in their chosen format. Where possible, agencies should also go into schools and youth centres to address the awareness gap and show young people that anybody can excel and enjoy a career in PR, regardless of perceived barriers to entry. Agencies also have a responsibility to uphold DE&I internally, by creating an environment where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, and by soliciting regular feedback from employees on potential areas for improvement.
- What is your favourite work perk?
Definitely the canteen subsidy that was introduced earlier this year. Aside from saving money each week, it’s a really good incentive to take some time to socialise together away from our desks.
- When I’m not at my desk you’ll find me…
Probably making a racket in my home studio (bedroom).
