- Name: Karen Lamminen
- Age: 31
- Current location: London, U.K.
- Home town: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Education: Applied Degree in Communications, Journalism, Mount Royal University, Calgary; Master’s in Public Relations, Stirling University, Scotland, UK
- Current position: Communication Lead, Channels, London Borough of Camden
- Bio: Over the past decade, Karen Lamminen has worked in the public sector as a professional communicator. She studied journalism and professional writing at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, and went on to work for the province of Alberta in the Ministry of Health. Karen received her Master's in Public Relations at Stirling University in Scotland, and focused her thesis on communications for the oil, gas and energy sector in Alberta. She has worked in all aspects of communications work: editing publications, building websites, writing speeches for public officials, and answering tough questions from journalists on tight deadlines. Since 2015, Karen has been working as a professional communicator in London, England.
- Countries I've worked in: UK, Canada
- Sector / subsectors: Communications
- Areas of expertise: Corporate communications, media relations, print publications
- Country: UK
- Region: Europe
- Sector: Communications
- Degree subject: Communications, Journalism
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What does a lead communication person do on day-to-day basis?
From magaine writing to website maintenance, marketing and social media, a communications portfolio can be very diverse.
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How did you come to work in London? How did you get into communications work?
Karen studied journalism at university, but quickly realized how changes to the industry would impact the kind of job she could find - so she made the switch into communications.
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After getting your master's, what came next?
Work experience at home helped Karen discover her passions and focus, and kickstart her international career.
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What visas or paperwork were necessary for you to work in London?
Age matters when it comes to visas and job mobility.
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What do you enjoy most about working and living in London?
An office culture that offers flexibility can make all the difference... but settling into a new city can still be a challenge.
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What are some of the challenges of your work?
Even though Karen is working in English, her native language, it's not always easy working as a Canadian writer and communicator in England.
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What are some skills and aptitudes that are essential to doing communications work internationally?
Good communications work is transferrable to almost any cultural context - but there's more to it than that.
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Do people need a certain degree or specialization to succeed in communications work?
Working in a competitive environment such as London, you'll need education on your side to compete.
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For those who want to break into communications work, what's your best advice?
Karen reveals some of the struggles she encountered when applying for communications jobs in the UK - what worked, and what didn't.
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Anything else you want to add about your experience?
Don't look for your dream job - look for a job that allows you to live globally. Take a page out of Karen's book on practicality and learn how it's paid off for her in London.
