Alumna Kayla Snyder is the First Permanent U.S. Employee to Work Remotely for Battenhall, an Award-Winning Communications Agency in the U.K. Alumni Profile
Meet Kayla Snyder
- Job Title & Employer
- Junior Account Executive, Battenhall
- Major/Program
- Public Relations & Advertising
- Minor
- Broadcast production
- Graduation
- April 2020
- College Activities
- PRSSA, Honors Program, Admissions tour guide, The Globe, WPPJ
- Scholarships
- Trustee
- Hometown
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- High School
- Shaler Area High School
- Now Living In
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Hobbies & Interests
- Traveling, attending concerts, binge watching TV shows, drinking coffee and tea, spending hours on TikTok, indoor cycling and spinning
"Point Park's exchange program meant we had the opportunity to meet with Kayla during her studies in our London office. We could see there was a great program in place for the students to learn about the industry and her confidence shined through as a result. We knew she'd be a great fit!"
"From my first day at Point Park and my very first class, we were learning real-world knowledge about the industry. On top of that, Point Park’s emphasis of experiential learning allowed me to complete five internships during my four years. The professors were knowledgeable and taught us everything according to industry standards, which prepared me greatly for my first job."
You are the first permanent U.S. employee to work remotely for Battenhall in the United Kingdom. Tell us how you landed this opportunity?
It’s a long series of events that started in May of this year, one year after my trip to the United Kingdom with Point Park University's International Media class. On that trip, I fell in love with Battenhall. From the passion every employee had to the office culture, I was hooked. But seeing as they were an ocean away, I never thought without moving to a different country, that a job there would be possible, even though I so desperately wanted it to be and hoped it would happen one day.
I remember Drew Benvie, founder and CEO of Battenhall, mentioning that we could add him on LinkedIn because you never know where a connection could go. Still intrigued by Battenhall my senior year, I wanted to tap into my international connections for an event I was planning for PRSSA. That’s how I became in regular communication with Drew until we had to cancel it due to the pandemic.
A year to the date, I sent a private message on LinkedIn to Drew with a photo of the namesake sign that’s placed in the conference room we sat in, just reminiscing about our experience. Later that same day, he shared a LinkedIn post that Battenhall was hiring. I commented on the post and said if I lived in the UK, I’d jump on the opportunity. He replied to my direct message the next day saying they were hiring remotely and feel free to apply. From there, I jumped on the opportunity to apply. There were a few rounds of interviews and a lot of catch-ups with Drew before my final interview, which included a writing test and presentation. I accepted the job in September, but started in October as their first U.S. full-time employee working remotely.
What are your key responsibilities as a junior account executive?
My daily responsibilities change everyday because agency life is never the same, which makes it so exciting. So far, I’ve done anything from social media content creation, traditional PR, reporting, writing and client communication. The best thing about Battenhall is they want you to experience and learn as much as you can.
In what ways did your Point Park experience prepare you for your first full-time job?
Everything I learned in the classroom is applicable in my job. From writing press releases in PR Writing to becoming the account executive for my IMC Agency class, every class at Point Park taught me valuable skills that I use on a daily basis. IMC Agency, in particular, taught me how to communicate with clients first-hand which is arguably one of the most important skills in the agency world.
What do you believe sets Point Park’s School of Communication and PR and advertising program apart from other universities?
From my first day at Point Park and my very first class, we were learning real-world knowledge about the industry. On top of that, Point Park’s emphasis of experiential learning allowed me to complete five internships during my four years. The professors were knowledgeable and taught us everything according to industry standards, which prepared me greatly for my first job.
What advice do you have for prospective students?
Make the most of your time. I got involved early in my freshman and sophomore years. From there, I started to acquire more leadership positions within the organizations I was part of. Most notably, PRSSA. If you’re studying PR and you’re not part of PRSSA, you’re missing out. PRSSA allowed me to connect with so many industry professionals that I’m still close to today. Without that organization, I’m not sure that I would have the confidence in who I am as a professional when it comes to networking.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Above all, you never know where a connection can lead. Never in a million years did I think a trip to London would lead me to my first full-time job. It sounds cliché, but I said to my best friend who was also on the trip with me, “One day I will work for this company.” It’s almost like I manifested it — the world works in mysterious ways. Make those connections, but make the connections meaningful.
Connect with Kayla Snyder
More About: success story, International media trip, study abroad, WPPJ, The Globe, scholarships, Honors Program, Shaler Area High School, public relations and advertising, School of Communication, alumni, AdFed/PRSSA, internships