Name: Kari Aakre
Age: 34
Job Title and Description: Director of Product & Technology PR for Intel Corporation’s Global Communications Group
College/Major: University of Oregon/ Journalism and Public Relations
Twitter Handle: @keaakre
What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?
Kari Aakre: I manage a team of rock-star PR professionals inside of Intel’s Global Communications Group, which handles the PR strategy for the company’s entire portfolio of products and technologies. We aim to influence what is written and said about Intel’s products in the media through a variety of tools, from the basic press release to social media (and much more). It’s a blast. And nope, there is definitely no such thing as a typical day. Each day is different. It keeps things interesting!
What is the best part of your job?
KA: The people. Period. I’ve been at Intel (and in the Communications Group) for 12 years now. I’ve stayed because I get to wake up every day and work with some of the smartest people in the world – both in technology and in communications. I’m lucky.
What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?
KA: Fresh out of college, I worked as an intern for a large PR agency. I started my job search toward the end of my junior year in college. I knew what I wanted to do and started putting feelers out, utilizing connections and more. Intel didn’t have any openings at the time so I looked elsewhere and accepted a position at the PR agency. I was still checking in with my contacts back at Intel from time to time –just in case. At the agency, I learned the fundamentals of PR. It was an invaluable experience and proved to be exactly the stepping stone I needed to eventually land a job in PR at Intel.
How do you decide which media outlets you should reach out?
KA: We start with the end in mind – who do we ultimately want to reach? Consumers, IT decision makers, industry thought leaders, computer manufacturers? And then we work backwards. What does that audience read? Where do they get their information? How and where do they share it? What outlets do they trust? From there, we determine which outlets to target and what story we need to tell them. At the same time, we focus on cultivating relationships with the media who write about us and our industry the most. Just like any relationship in life, you have to invest the time. Relationships are critical in PR – both with the media and your clients.
What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?
KA: That there is no such thing as a typical day. One phone call, one story or one meeting can change up my entire schedule for the day. School didn’t prepare me for that. It’s extremely exciting, though. The technology industry moves at break-neck pace. Something new is invented nearly every day and I get to tell the world about it. The key is to be flexible and adapt quickly to change.
What’s one thing about your job that would surprise our readers?
KA: I was never a big fan of math and science growing up. That continued through college, too. I avoided those classes like the plague. So it may be surprising that I ended up at Intel. We make these amazing, tiny processors that are the brains inside of computers everywhere. I can tell you all about how those processors are made with billions of transistors, which are made with all sorts of interesting materials like silicon, hafnium and more. It’s geeky stuff. It’s extremely technical. But it’s so cool. And I’ve surprised and impressed myself that I actually understand much of it!
Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?
KA: This is a tough question. I’ve had the good-fortune to work for an amazing manager who is also my mentor and helped me grow tremendously over the years—all while having a blast. I owe a lot of my success and the opportunities I’ve been given to him and what he taught me. I consider myself lucky to have worked for him for as many years as I did.
That said, I think my three-year old son probably changed my professional life the most (and for the better). Being a working mom is tough – I won’t sugar coat it. And I only have one kid! But my son has taught me some important things in life and at work. Don’t sweat the small stuff and let the little things go. Everyone deserves to be heard. Ask lots and lots of questions. Eventually you’ll get the answers you need.
What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
KA: After taking on a new job with more responsibility, I was given some sage advice from a senior leader within the company. He told me to be myself. I was following in the footsteps of some great managers who had the role before me, but he reminded me that I was chosen for the job because of the unique strengths I bring to the table. I remind myself of this on bad days. Or when I make a mistake. It’s my confidence booster. You have to believe in yourself to achieve success.
What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
KA: Oh, I’ve made so many it’s hard to pick one. Fortunately, I haven’t made any really big ones yet. All of that said, Intel’s culture fosters and encourages risk-taking. Many say that if you aren’t failing on occasion or if you are meeting every single one of your goals, you aren’t taking enough risk or setting your goals high enough. So when I do make a mistake, I immediately determine what went wrong, how to fix it and then make sure it doesn’t happen again.
What do you look for when considering hiring someone?
KA: There are the basics – journalism or PR/communications degrees, experience in working with the media, excellent writing and communication skills and understanding of the media environment (both traditional and social). I also gauge how much the candidate has done his or her research about the job and the company. And I need to be able [to see] passion or a strong sense of excitement about the job. I want to know that you really want the job!
What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
KA: Get real-world experience. Lots of it. Try working at an agency and then maybe in-house, or vice versa. So much of what I now know about PR I did not learn in school. I also recommend building up a strong network. Whether through informational interviews, internships or existing relationships (my neighbor worked at Intel and helped connect me with the PR department way back when), tapping into your network during a job search can open many doors.