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 by Richard Lynch
Marketing & PR Blogger

Did you know that PR professionals tend to switch jobs four times during their
first decade out of college?

Experts explain that high pressure put on newcomers in this field forces them to search for better opportunities in other industries, which negatively affects employee turnover rate.

A public relations specialist needs to be the embodiment of a persuasive speaker, an effective communicator, a problem-solver, a critical thinker and so on. This task is challenging, especially if you’re only exploring the world of work. However, if you are certain that it is your cup of tea, it will turn out to be quite rewarding.

For those who are taking the first steps on their path of becoming a PR manager, we prepared 10 most important things you need to know and start a successful career!

 1. Curiosity is the Key. Lots of PR newcomers are thrown in at the deep end with complicated tasks. While some of them feel stressed and leave a company, others strive to get more information and knowledge to bring positive results. When you fall through the ice on a lake, you should keep calm and cry for help. So, follow the same principle in your career! There is no shame in asking for help. Asking questions is perhaps one of the most crucial aspects of acquiring a profession. PR professionals are constantly communicating with different people and media outlets. They gather data, analyze it and use for own purposes. So, stay inquisitive and ask for help when you need it.

 2. A Career Plan is Important. If you don’t know where you go, you will definitely come to a wrong place. Know your destination! Think of your career path, set your goals and search for ways to achieve them. Even if your targets are overambitious for the time being, who knows, you might reach them in the future. Just as with any job, you will have downfalls. However, the way you handle difficult and challenging situations is what defines you not only as a specialist, but also as an individual. Stay patient, and you’re likely to achieve success.

 3. PR is all About Persuasion. It doesn’t matter whether you’re trying to convince a big audience or pitch to a friend, you will always have to think over communication strategy and persuade that your idea is the best. Do not confuse persuasion with manipulation: being able to find an appropriate approach to different people and giving them a good reason to believe you is not the same as using deceptive tactics to change the perception of others. Successful PR professionals have excellent soft skills that help them interact with diverse audiences.

 4. PR Cannot Fix All Problems. It is a widespread misconception that PR professionals can resolve all issues. PR specialists are not crisis managers. If an organization does not have a customer service department or clients report poor quality of products, even a top-rated PR professional won’t help in this case. “PR crisis” should be resolved in cooperation with other departments. Effective communication and teamwork bring the best results at the end!

 5. You Need to be a “Mini-Expert” in Different Fields. Being a PR specialist is often stressful as you need to be a “superhuman.” PR students are taught plenty of things including people management, communication skills, public speaking, promotion, etc. Interact with different people, learn more about their field and it will benefit you more than you can imagine!

 6. A PR Professional is an Excellent Team Player. You can be the best PR specialist ever, but without a good team, you will fail to reach success. Building and maintaining good relations with both customers and employees is what a company strives to achieve. Mutual help, joint lunches and team-building activities might help your team to become more efficient and productive.

 7. PR is an Ethical Business. One more misconception is that PR people are liars. They are ready to tell everything to hide failures and get out of a crisis. In fact, fundamental ethics are essential in PR field. As you are representing a company, you need to promote positive values in the society. Integrity and trust are the keys to success in this business.

 8. Storytelling is the Core Competence. PR professionals use narratives everywhere to establish relations and build reputation through the media. A good PR specialist will analyze organizational needs, evaluate the public opinion and create a story, which will make a company look good in any situation.

 9. Public Relations vs. Advertising. If advertising is paid, public relations are earned. You can persuade journalists that you are the best on the market and convince them to write a positive story about your client, but you will never buy the public opinion. Professional PR people use advertising wisely so that it benefits an organization rather than damages its reputation.

 10. PR is NOT an “Easy Route.” Many students mistakenly suppose that PR is an easy way to get a degree. However, the majority of them quickly get disappointed when the reality hits them. PR is not only about communication and promotion. You need to become an influencer, who will shape the public opinion and promote right things in the community.

Most importantly, understand what you’re getting into. No matter what your profession of choice is, the key to a successful career is loving what you do. Once you find your passion, a brand new world of new things will open up to you.