Step 5: Gaining PR Skills

Become Skillful, Become Successful

Wow I can’t believe that I have already reached step 5 in this blog and I have to say that I am really enjoying it. Maybe now is a good time to note that these steps are part of my experience and are not part of a one size fits all for building a career in PR. Maybe some of these steps resonate with you, maybe they don’t help at all or maybe it’s opened your eyes to something new. Either way, with each step I find myself progressing and it would be great if you could follow along and provide some feedback. So don’t be shy, feel free to comment below.

I have decided to make step 5 all about building up PR skills. Ever since I entered my program in PR, I realized this was game-time; it’s the last leg before I enter into the job hunt world alongside my fellow PR grads and PR professionals out there. That is why for months now I have been reflecting on required skills for PR and this blog will somewhat scratch the surface of what I have uncovered.

First, I wanted to know what skills I had that worked well in PR. Well, I knew that the reason I went into PR was because I love to write and would consider it a strength. I also love communicating and being creative (check out this link for an interesting study done on creativity in PR). These skills are more natural abilities or talents; not that they can’t be worked on and improved. Yet, there is something to be said for being adept or intrinsically moved when applying a certain skill. And it is my belief that this natural inclination toward these skills is something a PR pro can bring to the table that no one else can. (It is essentially why the PR profession exists, in my mind.)

Second, I enjoy researching, working on projects, multitasking, doing computer design, giving presentations and running events. These are typical PR activities and require a certain skill level which can range from beginner to expert. These are the skills that you can grow and perfect as a PR student, something I have been trying to do.

Third, there are the hidden skills or the skills developed on the job. It’s the "je ne sais quoi" that those PR veterans have; skills that are so honed they are second nature. Sometimes they are among the skills needed for PR that are simply unknown to PR students. That being said, today very little is truly hidden with Google at our finger tips, and so I did some research to uncover the skills needed to have to start a career in PR.

I found some interesting articles, like this one from the IABC discussing social media skills. Are they truly necessary for a career in PR? I think that the answer is yes and this article really covers this topic well. Another article I found discussed more of the future skills needed in PR, like video editing and programming skills. This just goes to show that there will always be room for more and more skills in the PR profession and that you may need to expand beyond what you already know. Lastly, I found an article that discusses skills needed to respond to PR needs. For instance, advanced spreadsheet skills are needed to respond to the need to quantify communication outcomes. This link was really great and I definitely recommend it.

Respond to PR Needs

So you have to reap from the skills you have and you have to sow the skills that you will need by seeking, learning and doing. This step may be crucial, because without the ever-important work experience, you will need an awesome skill-set to get the dream PR job. Here’s hoping.

The second part of this step is practicing your skills – which I will do my best to cover in Step 6.

P.S. I love learning and PR is learning for life.

Step 4: The Complex Career Path of PR

Know your Career Choices

I want to take this time to go back to something I said in my first blog. My first blog talked about choosing a career, but what I did not know at the time was that often in PR you have to choose a career that is specialized and specific. This brings me to the moment on my first day of class in my PR program. Our teacher had us introduce ourselves, our background and what area of PR we wanted to go into. I had to pause on the third part. What did he mean by area of PR that I wanted to go into?

Obviously before choosing my career I did some research and I was well aware that there were different areas such as government relations, investor relations, internal relations, and every other kind of communication you can think of and that doesn’t include technology, events, social media. It really seems never ending. But this is a good thing; it is essentially why I want to work in PR. I want to try all these things; I want to dabble in a bit of everything, use different skills and face different challenges every day. That was why when we were asked to choose a path from among these I was confused and maybe even disappointed, it was like rolling a horrible hand and having to take 3 steps back in a crazy career board game that you just can't win.

Love this quote from Harry Potter

It is like being on Let’s Make a Deal and being told that you have to choose from 3 doors with different prizes behind each, some are nice, but one is the best. Choose a door, any door. But how do I know which one I will like, what if I don’t choose the best one? This was the fear that I had when I learned I had to choose a career yet again.

After speaking with people who work in PR, learning from my program, talking to my classmates and visiting some agencies, I have discovered that maybe it was OK for me to be confused, but not disappointed. Here is my reasoning. First, it would be virtually impossible for someone to be good at all the things that PR professionals can do. Rarely do they hire someone to do everything, unless they have limited resources like some not-for-profits, in which case you may be a jack of all trades. But in PR agencies, where I hope to someday work, each individual usually has a niche or a specialty. This specialty is essential because it makes you an expert, employable, needed. You will become the go-to consultant for that area.

This discovery really opened my eyes, and has me thinking about what it is that I can excel at. But I am still on the fence about it. Is it still not possible for me to dabble in a bit of everything? I think the answer is yes. A lot of the times, there is room for growth and a lot of horizontal movement in agencies. That is you may move from one service to another, so that maybe after a year of working in government relations there is a need for someone in corporation communications and you decide to give it a try. Also, again as I have said so many times PR is dynamic. This means that even if you work within your speciality you will be able to draw on the different tools of PR.

The reason why I put this as a step in my career process is because realizing all the opportunities and potential things that can confuse you or amaze you in your career is something that helps you progress along your journey. If I hadn’t been asked that question on the first day of class in my PR program, someone else would have eventually asked the same question. At least now I am aware and I can start figuring which direction I want to go in and I can approach that question head-on. So please bear with me as I continue as an inexperienced student in trying to work my compass and find my direction in PR.

P.S.Even though I am a little confused I still love PR.

Step 3: Build Research Skills for PR

Become a Part-time Researcher

Now that Halloween has passed, I can get back to blogging about PR and of course Step 3 in the ongoing story of my venture into PR.

Enrolling in a PR course or program is a good step forward because it gives you a formal education of the different aspects of PR. I can safely say that after 2 months in my program at Mohawk I have already learned so much. I feel legitimately prepared to start a career in PR and I still have 6 more months to go! So I can only imagine how much more prepared I will be by the time April comes.

But one thing that I have discovered is that you have to self-educate in an informal way to learn about the PR industry. Naturally, such a dynamic career will have a dynamic industry and you cannot learn it all in a classroom. An excellent addition to formal learning is utilizing the ever reliable Internet. Did you say Google? That is exactly what I mean. I have spent countless hours with Google researching the PR industry. It’s a task without an end, because you have to keep up with the ever-evolving nature of PR. I feel like most researchers, I have an insatiable thirst for discovering everything that is the latest and greatest in my field.

The first reason why I feel this is a necessary step in my career building is because it reflects the PR profession. This past Wednesday, my PR class visited some agencies in Toronto where we learned that even as PR students we need to stay informed about current news and events, best PR practices, the uses of social media and the list goes on. So it seems fitting that my endless research is important and helpful to beginning my career in PR. 

Fiddling about with Photoshop...big distraction.

Another reason why I think research is essential is because it clears up any misconceptions about the profession and creates realistic expectations. I feel like I am finally able to explain to people why PR is not advertising or marketing.

Finally, the best reason for continuing my research is that it is rewarding. Awareness and knowledge are assets that have value (can you tell I am a business grad?) and they are useful. The research process has in itself improved my research skills, organizational skills and my own motivation to continue learning; some unexpected outcomes in a quest for knowledge. So don’t forget that it is a learning process which helps you grow.

It has been a little overwhelming deciding what to research first or even where, but I guess I started with Twitter. It wasn’t until I started following more and more PR related handles that I discovered how important Twitter is as a source of information. Also, it will naturally lead you to other sources.

The next place I looked was at professional associations like the CPRS (which I am a member of) and the IABC (which I will join in second semester). The best part is that students get a discount on the membership, a real incentive! I am excited to network and have access to job postings, mentorship and volunteer opportunities. So far, I have become active in the CPRS on their Board of Directors and in the Mentorship program; both of which have given me access to resources about the PR industry. 

The hardest part has been researching and evaluating an uncountable number of PR agencies (my ideal work environment), in addition to looking at industries that require PR like entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, food, government and so on. This has really helped prepare me for my future (daunting) job hunt.

Phew. That is a lot to cram into one post. But that is because this is an important step and one that is ongoing. The best way to keep up with it is to make it a part of your daily routine. I would suggest using your free time to research instead of playing pointless online games. You will be rewarded.

P.S. No one said getting your dream job was easy, but I still love PR!