The Civil Servant Press Officer

The lowdown on what it’s really like. One woman talks about her work and life.

Name: Charlotte Morgan

Age: 27

Job title: Press Officer - Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Top survival tip
Keep a sense of perspective. It’s good if work is an important part of your life, but not if it becomes your life!

The reaction
It really varies. If I tell people I’m a civil servant, they’re not really interested. If I tell them I’m a government press officer, they perk up a bit, and if I tell them I work for John Prescott’s department, they start giving me their views on transport policy, hoping I’ll pass them on!

People get very confused about the distinction between working for the government and working for the Labour party – I often have to explain that if there was a change of government tomorrow, I would remain in my present position.

The day-to-day
I try to communicate the government’s policies and achievements to the public, through newspapers, magazines, TV and radio. My last big project was working on the Ten Year Plan for Transport.

My workload depends on what’s in the news so I don’t have a typical day, although I spend a lot of time on the phone. I also answer journalists’ enquiries, write press releases and newspaper articles, arrange press conferences, briefings, interviews and ministerial events, accompany ministers on visits and to interviews, and give them advice on presentational issues. I also attend debates and committees at the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Favourite work gizmo
My hand-held tape recorder.

Getting started
I saw an advert for the Government Information and Communication Service ( GICS ) in the The Guardian and immediately thought this is the kind of thing I want to do. I applied, attended an assessment day, and once I’d passed that, I applied for and got a post at the DETR (Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions).

Getting used to the culture of the Civil Service was quite difficult at the start. Going out on visits with ministers where you’re trying to organise journalists, keeping an ear on what the minister is saying and fending off photographers is quite daunting, especially the first time you do it.