Learning to be a PR Chameleon
March 7, 2018
Public relations is a chameleon in the complex world of communication. It blends effortlessly into its surroundings when done well, but it’s also ever changing and often unpredictable.
As a recent college graduate, I can still hear the words of my professors, “Remember this, it’s the key to successful PR” or “Remember that, it’s the only way to win clients.” Some declared the death of the press release, while others proclaimed its immortality and pertinence in the PR world.
There are lots of ideas and beliefs when it comes to PR and the best ways to excel in the industry. While my university experience definitely prepared me for many aspects of the communication field, nothing compares to real-life work at a specialized agency as part of a fantastic team. From April – December 2017, I worked full-time as an intern for a few month and then part-time while finishing my last semester of school – and now full-time as an account coordinator since January 2018.
Here are three things I’ve learned about the intricacies of PR.
It’s all about the learning curve.
I studied hard and felt successful in school, but as my professors reminded students daily, university was not the ‘real world.’ Despite this and thanks to the time I spent in the ‘unreal world,’ I felt much more prepared as I dove into the ‘real world’ of PR. As with any new experience or job, the immersion into PR brought big changes along with a substantial learning curve. The first few weeks I worked full-time as an intern, I remember wondering if I was truly ready for the work of a PR professional. However, with time and training I was able to combine the ideas I learned in school with the skills I was learning at work and felt much more capable. Patience and determination were, and still are, two of the traits I use most as I learn new things and polish existing skills.
Juggling isn’t just a circus act.
Public relations professionals are some of the very best jugglers. There are always multiple clients to serve and tasks that need attention. While there are many moments of focus and precision, all the balls must stay in the air. From client calls and meetings to event management, media outreach and more, PR pros create a complete package to inspire earned coverage and positive brand image for their clients. I am still working to become a master juggler, but I have learned so much about prioritization and task management over the past year. Understanding tasks, the expectations of those who will review those tasks and managing your workload with deliberation are the first steps in becoming an expert – or master juggler – in the PR field.
Enjoy moments of success.
Since PR takes so much focus, skill and determination, it can become consuming and overwhelming at times. PR is an on-going and never-ending stream of to-do lists that can pile up and become daunting. Because of this, it’s vitally important to celebrate the small successes and victories throughout the day. In a challenging, fast-paced industry like PR, we have to take time to notice when our efforts lead to positive results and acknowledge the work that went into the success. Every name on a press list, every award nomination submitted, every published work adds a necessary element to an exceptional PR effort – and contributes to all the balls gracefully soaring through the air in the capable hands of a PR team.
While challenging and ever changing, to enter the world of PR is to know that superheroes truly walk among us.
Tara Hill
Account Coordinator
Learning to be a PR Chameleon
March 7, 2018
Public relations is a chameleon in the complex world of communication. It blends effortlessly into its surroundings when done well, but it’s also ever changing and often unpredictable.
As a recent college graduate, I can still hear the words of my professors, “Remember this, it’s the key to successful PR” or “Remember that, it’s the only way to win clients.” Some declared the death of the press release, while others proclaimed its immortality and pertinence in the PR world.
There are lots of ideas and beliefs when it comes to PR and the best ways to excel in the industry. While my university experience definitely prepared me for many aspects of the communication field, nothing compares to real-life work at a specialized agency as part of a fantastic team. From April – December 2017, I worked full-time as an intern for a few month and then part-time while finishing my last semester of school – and now full-time as an account coordinator since January 2018.
Here are three things I’ve learned about the intricacies of PR.
It’s all about the learning curve.
I studied hard and felt successful in school, but as my professors reminded students daily, university was not the ‘real world.’ Despite this and thanks to the time I spent in the ‘unreal world,’ I felt much more prepared as I dove into the ‘real world’ of PR. As with any new experience or job, the immersion into PR brought big changes along with a substantial learning curve. The first few weeks I worked full-time as an intern, I remember wondering if I was truly ready for the work of a PR professional. However, with time and training I was able to combine the ideas I learned in school with the skills I was learning at work and felt much more capable. Patience and determination were, and still are, two of the traits I use most as I learn new things and polish existing skills.
Juggling isn’t just a circus act.
Public relations professionals are some of the very best jugglers. There are always multiple clients to serve and tasks that need attention. While there are many moments of focus and precision, all the balls must stay in the air. From client calls and meetings to event management, media outreach and more, PR pros create a complete package to inspire earned coverage and positive brand image for their clients. I am still working to become a master juggler, but I have learned so much about prioritization and task management over the past year. Understanding tasks, the expectations of those who will review those tasks and managing your workload with deliberation are the first steps in becoming an expert – or master juggler – in the PR field.
Enjoy moments of success.
Since PR takes so much focus, skill and determination, it can become consuming and overwhelming at times. PR is an on-going and never-ending stream of to-do lists that can pile up and become daunting. Because of this, it’s vitally important to celebrate the small successes and victories throughout the day. In a challenging, fast-paced industry like PR, we have to take time to notice when our efforts lead to positive results and acknowledge the work that went into the success. Every name on a press list, every award nomination submitted, every published work adds a necessary element to an exceptional PR effort – and contributes to all the balls gracefully soaring through the air in the capable hands of a PR team.
While challenging and ever changing, to enter the world of PR is to know that superheroes truly walk among us.
