Introducing Ciara Fanning, another new addition to the Clearbox team. Ciara is carrying out her placement year with us and we're thrilled to welcome her and her caffeine addiction. When she's not in the office, you'll catch her busy bodying around Belfast city centre with a Neighbourhood coffee and Zara bag. Tell us more, Ciara.
Hi everyone, I’m Ciara and I’m beyond excited to be writing this blog post! I am currently studying Communication, Advertising and Marketing (CAM) in Ulster University Belfast and along with my degree, I am completing my third-year placement at Clearbox!!
Like many other second year students at the time, I felt stressed and under pressure to find a third-year placement, I searched the internet and kept in touch with my university placement coordinator when Clearbox began to advertise a placement position they were offering for students like me, who were eager to learn more about the field of PR. I had previously heard about Clearbox through LinkedIn, following their work with Neighbourhood Café, and I had kept myself informed on their coming and goings since. From the moment the Placement opportunity popped up on my screen I was determined that Clearbox was where I would be spending my year. Clearbox’s energy, beliefs, attitude and outstanding work completely aligned with what I wanted from my placement job, or any job for that matter. My time with Clearbox from my first application, my interviews, a fun filled karaoke night and my first few days working there has only confirmed this to me. My determination, hard work, a cracker personality (I just don’t stop talking) and I’d be denying if I didn’t say some manifesting must have paid off, because here I am!
My days off usually consist of a whole load of shopping and sipping at a flat white, americano or, if my shopping trip is intense and I need some cooling down upstairs in Zara, I’ll have an iced oat latte. I am a social butterfly, so me being me, by the time I’ve ordered my coffee or made a new purchase for my wardrobe, that’s already about to explode, I have usually found out what the cashier had for breakfast, their grandparents age and the name of their Primary one teacher. Neither myself or my bank account can deny that my coffee drinking and shopping is not an expensive hobby, but remember folks, money is temporary, slay is forever.
When I need some grounding from my busy Belfast lifestyle, I head home to my humble abode in the one and only County Fermanagh, the land of the lakes, where my family and I decided to move to from County Monaghan a few years ago. As much as I love the fast-paced city life, there is nothing quite as peaceful as waking up to drink my morning coffee and watch out the window as the fish jump surprisingly from the lake, the hare runs quickly across the garden or the robin lands gently on a tree branch and occasionally a sheep grazing, unfazed, in our garden after escaping from a neighbouring field. You can say all you want about Fermanagh, yes, it may not be the epicentre of entertainment, but you cannot deny its beautiful landscape.
At the end of the day, my family are my world, with my mum and my sister being my best friends. They are my personal cheerleaders, constantly hyping me up and being inspirations to work hard for what I want. I am the baby of the house, so like any eldest sister out there, my sister looks out for me as if she is a second mother, but don’t worry, she likes to remind me of all the good she does for me, with her once telling me her reasoning behind it all; “I think you are going to be really rich when you are older, so just remember this then”. To be honest, I think that the best motivation anyone’s ever given me, I have to live up to some serious expectations.
I am bursting with anticipation for what is ahead of me this year as I enter the big bad world of PR, but I am sure with the help and guidance from all at Clearbox, I will be just fine, after all, I am learning from the best. During my final round of interviews for Clearbox, I was faced with the question of what my goals in my career in public relations are, my answer remains the same, I want to work with great people, great organisations and in a fast paced, everchanging and hectic field, I never want to go against my moral compass or do a PR move I regret. I don’t doubt this years’ experience will teach me many lessons and set me up not only for my final year of university but also aid me after I graduate as I further my career in public relations.
