10 in 10: Cherelle Jones

Cherelle Jones, a Senior Account Manager at Partners, is the latest regional professional in the hot seat as the p.ublished group of newspapers gives her just 10 minutes to answer our 10 burning questions.


What does a typical working day involve?

Whether I’m working from home or working from the office my morning starts with either a tea or coffee (otherwise I’m a zombie until lunch). Then I’ll check my emails, respond to anything urgent and start prioritising my day based on my ‘to do’ list.

Each morning, the Partners team have a catch up. On a Monday we go through the week ahead, and client actions, but any other day it’s a general chit chat, which is great as working from home can be a little isolating sometimes.

After the morning call, it’s time to crack on with the ‘meatier’ bits on my list. Client priorities form my focus for the day, I’ll check each campaign is headed in the right direction, and start working through what needs to be done. This usually involves some writing, whether it’s a press release or a more complex feature, which I find rather therapeutic.

When lunchtime comes around, if I’m working from home I will usually head out for a quick stroll, and then come back to eat before getting stuck into my afternoon client work.

What makes your company PR special?

So many things. Firstly, each member of the Partners team is incredibly driven and good at what they do. We work on mixture of clients, meaning each day presents a new challenge, and a new opportunity to learn which keeps it fresh.

At Partners, our brand values are collaboration, curiosity and clarity and we certainly all embody that. We are very close knit, we talk all the time, and always have each other’s back. Before we start any client work, we ensure that our end goal is clear, and we know exactly what needs to be done to achieve it. We’re also not afraid to ask questions and think outside the box which helps us to ensure our client strategies are well-rounded and specific to that client.

Do you have any business rules that you swear by?

For me, a key thing is transparency. At Partners, we are very open, not just with our clients, but with each other. Nobody is afraid to speak up if they are struggling or think something is wrong, and the team genuinely enjoys lending a helping hand. This helps our work be the best it can be, helps us to improve our craft and means clients always get our all.

Do you dress up or down for work?

I go smart casual. Casual enough to be comfortable, but smart enough for meetings.

What piece of advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

It'll all work out in the end. Be true to yourself, and don’t focus too much on where everybody else is in life. This is your journey, enjoy it, live in the moment and say yes more.

What’s your favourite Yorkshire venue for an event or team away day?

Those that know me will know I’m very much food motivated. For me, I love going for a team lunch and a stroll. At Christmas we did the scavenger hunt around York, which was brilliant as it combined all my favourite things, a nice leisurely stroll, some sightseeing and all the food I could eat.

How do you prefer to travel for work?

By car. I enjoy driving. My hour commute usually consists of me howling along to my favourite music or enthralled in a Podcast depending on what mood I’m in.

What’s your favourite place in Yorkshire to relax?

My favourite place in Yorkshire is Emley Moor in Huddersfield. I could spend hours just looking up at the mast surrounded by the pure silence of the countryside. It helps me to clear my head and put things into perspective.

Besides that, Digley Reservoir in the summer. It’s a lovely place to go for a quiet walk with stunning scenery.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Yorkshire and what dish do you recommend?

I’m a sucker for junk food, so I’ll try any new burger place. Besides that, I love Aakbars in Leeds, and I’ll be chowing down on a chicken nambali, followed by a chicken tikka masala (Asian style) with naan.

What do you miss most about Yorkshire when you’re away?

The countryside, the views, and the people. Originally, I’m from Manchester where everybody seems a little angry (even though we’re actually lovely), but in Yorkshire, everybody is cheery and spares the time to say, ‘good morning.’


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