As a former PR specialist in the public sector for eight years, I am skilled in promotions whether writing press releases, media relations, reputation management or producing communications strategies. I've used that knowledge to focus on the private sector for the past year or so and have recently had clients featured in national newspapers, popular blogs and online sites. Prior to entering the field of public relations I worked as a journalist for 18 years (10 in national newspapers such as the Daily Mail, Sun, Daily Express and The Herald) so I'm well aware of how news desks operate (ie if the first two sentences of a press release doesn't grab them then it goes straight in the bin) and how therefore to get a press release before a news editor's nose. My freelance career is a mix of both PR and journalism - I write press releases and articles for the websites of private clients as well as supplying articles to online sites and written publications.