After obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in Communications with an emphasis on public relations and advertising, Worthington realized she wanted to put her degree to work for her.
“After college, I had a fairly boring job as a front-desk receptionist in a small-town art center. I figured I’d about had it after taking what was probably the 100th call of the day about a cancelled kids’ pottery class. I went home, pulled out my phone book, and called every PR, marketing, and advertising agency listed in the book, looking to see if they were hiring. Luckily, I found an advertising agency who needed some help in the creative and writing department, and I was hired. I learned a bit more behind-the-scenes things, moved forward in some different positions before I finally got my start on my own doing freelance PR work. I loved being freelance, but I missed being a part of a company. So I became a part of The Wakeman Agency in New York.”
As assistant director of public relations for The Wakeman Agency, Worthington writes press releases, media alerts, and press kits to promote her clients. She also spends a great amount of time “pitching and interacting with the folks at different media outlets.”
“Knowing who I am pitching to, knowing their style, helps me to know how to interact with them and produces much of my results,” said Worthington.
Q. What events in your life do you feel directly contributed to your success in the industry?
A. Becoming a mother has led to my success. Our three children see my husband and I as examples, so it is our duty to work hard and be passionate about what we do to set a standard for them. My children are also my inspiration. I’m lucky to have kids who are compassionate and eager to help others. I opt to work with clients that my kids can also feel good about.
Q. What do you enjoy doing when you aren’t working?
A. I love doing things with my family. If we’re not off on a nature walk, we’re doing fun little community activities. We’re also big readers, so when the kids are off to bed, I like to curl up with a classic.
Q. Who is your role model?
A. My kids! Their creativity and imaginations inspire me.
Q. What songs are on your iPod right now?
A. I’m more of a talk-radio kind of person.
Q. What was the last magazine that you read?
A. A sneak preview of the new magazine ONE: The Digital Dialogs.
Though writing and communicating are large parts of her job, Worthington feels that creativity plays the largest role.
“Creativity is my most used PR skill. I rely on creativity to help me devise the perfect pitch or offer that touch of flair to a press release so it stands apart from the rest,” she explained.
Based on her own personal success in public relations, Worthington offered the following advice for those looking to break into the industry:
“Set your own style. It will come from lots of trial and error, but it’s well worth it. Know your clients—be as passionate about their product or service as they are. Know who you’re pitching to—take the time to do a little research into the media outlets you’re pitching to; read their articles, visit their blog, listen to or watch their shows. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box—in fact, it’s strongly encouraged. And most importantly, never compromise your ethics!”
