Sally Rattray, account executive at Hot Tin Roof, has already got used to rude journalists

Graduate Sally Rattray describes a typical day as an account executive in her first job in PR at agency Hot Tin Roof in Edinburgh.

7.00am: Awoken by alarm, but struggle to leave my warm bed. Listen to Radio 4 Today over breakfast, venting my frustration at some interviews quietly to avoid waking my post-grad flatmates who are still sleeping.

7.45am: Have a quick scan of Twitter and get ready, trying not to spend too much time deciding what to wear – being winter in Edinburgh the default option usually involves multiple layers.

8.10am: One of the great things about living in Edinburgh is that you can walk everywhere. I take the scenic, albeit slightly longer, route walking along the meadows and then down the mound by Edinburgh Castle.

8.40am: Pick up the papers.

8.50am: Am first into the office so have a mad dash to turn off the alarm. Read the papers to make sure I’m up to speed with the headlines, and scan social media sites to see what’s being said about our clients.

9.00am: Read and respond to emails. Check my to-do list and review where I’m at and what I need to do.

9.30am: First coffee of the morning and time for some more media monitoring – we’ve had a great start to the day with some good coverage, which I Tweet and forward to clients.

10.ooam: The morning is full of pitching a story to the press which results in strong leads, but will need to be locked down tomorrow. When I first started work I found pitching incredibly nerve-racking and quite challenging. But it’s all about learning through experience, and I now feel much more comfortable speaking with journalists and know not to take the more abrupt rebuttals personally!

1.00pm: Venture outside for a quick walk to clear my head. Economising goes out the window and I treat myself to a Pret lunch. Eat back in the office and catch up with colleagues. Have another scan of news and Twitter feeds.

2.00pm: Begin some desk research on software glitches to help a client with an article it is writing for an IT publication. Hot Tin Roof specialises in technology and new media but, as someone who is not naturally technologically orientated, the tech lingo has taken some getting used to.

3.00pm: Time for a client meeting to check we’re on the right track with our consumer PR campaign. Two pots of tea and several brainstorms later we are all agreed on a plan of action.

4.50pm: Start to tie up any loose ends and make sure I have completed what I needed to do today.

5.20pm: Meeting my sister for dinner. After which I battle my way home through a rather brutal combination of wind and rain.

9.00pm: Enjoy some tea and TV with my flatmates, before reading a novel of choice (a luxury because, as a former English Literature student, my reading was set for the last four years ...) Afterwards, it’s time for some beauty sleep.