Here’s the latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators, where we ask you to describe your day in your own words.
Wendy Kirwan is the director of media relations (a fancy title that really means she does all things writing and PR-related) at Kars4Kids. She has a BA in business journalism from CUNY’s Baruch College. She also has a husband and two young children.
Here is her typical day:
Before 8:00 am: I have two kids, aged 2 and 8 months, so my mornings are hectic. I officially start work at 9, but having a smartphone means that I can check my email while still at home.
8:00 am – 10:00 am: Drop the kids off at Kars4Kids’ onsite daycare (big plus of working here!).
Catch up on email, voicemail and social media, especially Twitter. I may respond to a HARO (Help a Reporter Out) query or two. (I love HARO and it’s gotten us results in the past!)
10:00 am – 12:00 pm: I dash off a couple of posts (using ideas that have been percolating in my brain overnight or popped in during my morning shower) for our blog, my personal blog and maybe even a guest post. Also do some brainstorming, usually with a couple of team members, for content ideas and publicity events.
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm: Lunch is NEVER at my desk. Another perk of working for Kars4Kids is the hot lunch we get for free. Eggplant parmesan is a recent fave. Lunch is a great time to mingle with colleagues, including the ones who actually do our mission-related work day-to-day and get updated on how things are going in other departments. Back at my desk, I may work on some web content (we have a lean staff so my job runs the gamut of writing-related tasks), emails, newsletter, various marketing materials both fundraising and mission related, you name it… all while trying to concentrate in a busy call center environment.
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm: I quickly browse the news and social media again, following breaking stories, enjoying some good reads, getting inspiration and learning. I’m always on the lookout for good blogs to follow and perhaps contribute to. Reading the news, my mind is always thinking, “is there some value we can add to this story? A new twist? Something to add to the trending conversation?” Depending on how the kids slept last night, I may get myself another cup of coffee.
After 4:00 pm: I end work at 5 (and totally relate to Glenna Wortman-Obie’s “feeling like I haven’t gotten much done,”) but again, with a smartphone, I’m never completely shut off. Though there are a couple of hours before the kids are in bed when work does kind of fall off the radar. On particularly crazy evenings, you may find me in the bathroom with one hand washing my toddler’s hair and the other holding up my baby who thinks it might be fun to climb into the tub. My final email check-in may not be until midnight, right before I head to bed.
Want to be featured in this series? Tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro.
