Ten Years, Ten Lessons
Sariyah Jalaluddin's PR career - spent in its entirety at Havas' One Green Bean - spans ten years and two continents. Here, she shares some thoughts on its evolution from provincial to global, her own journey, and the lessons she's learned along the way.
Ten years ago, someone at a (then) small Australian agency asked me “Why PR?”. I said (with a very straight face) “Because I want to be CJ Cregg” – that’s a West Wing reference for you non-Sorkin fans out there.
So, why CJ Cregg? Well, mainly because she’s incredible, but largely because it showed the power of a good communications career. The breadth and potential that came with it.
Must have worked. Because here I am ten years later, albeit in another country, but with that same small-now-global agency, One Green Bean.
As I mark a decade in my career, I look back and reflect on an incredible journey. Here are some of the things I’ve learned along the way.
1. Run your own race: There will be countless times you inevitably measure yourself against someone else, devaluing everything you’ve done. Don’t. Get motivated, fuel the fire, and remember your achievements are every bit as brilliant. Best advice received – you know who you are.
2. Good people make the world go round: Surround yourself with smart, funny, interesting humans. They will be the people who get you through any challenge and make every day a delight. I should know. I’ve been beyond lucky to have fantastic people alongside me, across two continents, for the past decade.
3. Lean into what makes you, YOU: Quiet but considered? Loud and proud? Doesn’t matter. Find a team that celebrates you. That’s when the magic happens. It’s about belonging, not fitting in.
4. Don’t get distracted by shiny things: Big brands are always exciting, new clients are always fresh and interesting, but some of the most enjoyable and rewarding work happens in the unexpected places. With small names, or with your oldest client. Think about the ambition, not the brand.
5. Stop and smell the roses (perks): We’re a bunch of do-ers, often getting so caught up in GETTING SHIT DONE that we risk missing what’s right before us. Pause for a moment to relish that press trip abroad. Take another bite of that incredible tasting menu you're hosting media for. You’ve earned it.
6. Longevity ain’t embarrassing: “TEN YEARS!?” accompanied by dropped jaws. Yes. Ten years. There’s nothing to rationalise or justify. Own your career, what you’ve made of it and continue to make of it. Find a company that is just as invested in you, as you are in them. You can’t buy loyalty, but it’s win-win when you’re in the right place.
7. It’s PR not ER: Remember that, and problems become easier to solve, stress is more manageable, and life is so much better.
8. LOLs maketh the day: And on that note…remember to stop and HAVE A LOL. It’ll save you when it’s the night before pitch and you’re still rewriting that one…damn…slide. Colleagues that laugh together go the distance together.
9. Work hard, live harder: You’re never going to say “I wish I’d put in more overtime”. Bring your best self to work. Find that balance. Flex when you need to, but don’t break yourself. Take a rest when you need it, don’t quit.
10. Never offer to manage the office Sonos…ever: It’s just too much stress.
Sariyah Jalaluddin is associate business director at One Green Bean (London).
