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.
Richard Lynch is professional blogger and
content creator with
extensive experience in makreting and PR . In his spare
time he writes
articles for his blog on Medium and contributes to
www.bookwormlab.com
Richard works as a
Marketing Director for a tech software start-up.
More Articles |
Submit Your Article |
PR Subjects
About Public Relations Homepage
Contact Us
|