My Big Payoff, Nothing to do with Money

My Big Payoff, Nothing to do with Money

by Ashlie Clay

Public relations is a profession that transcends boundaries, whether a railroad company shipping coal or a small B&B tucked away in the mountains. This untamed nature of where public relations practitioners can be utilized leaves ample room for taking my public relations degree and practicing the art of strategic communication in an industry that I have a sincere interest in. However, my sincere interest and how it ties into a professional career has yet to be discovered.

One of my favorite shows is ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. In this reality show of sorts, a group of carpenters and interior designers design, build and decorate a home for a family that has faced significant hardships in their life. At the beginning and end of each episode I all but ball, as the stories, happy endings and just the generosity of people overwhelm my heart. Ideally, I would like to have a career that creates this sort of life changing events for people as this television show does each week. My dream job would leave me with that warm fuzzy feeling. I am not one to sit in an office or cubicle all day every day and I have an undying need for interaction with other people. With this in mind, the corporate world just does not seem to be in the cards for my life after graduation.

So what would a job like this take? This sort of job would entail lots of hard work and creativity, a knack for people and being able to adapt at a moments notice. Very unlike the corporate world, the world of nonprofits is without the glitz, glamor and usual luxuries and all about the nitty-gritty and rewarding pay-off. Seeing families with a place to call home, children with positive role models playing active roles in their everyday life and kids going home on the weekends with food to eat would be reward enough. I want to serve a bigger purpose and bring smiles to people’s faces. The key is just finding out what career within the public relations realm will allow me to do just this.