There's a lot of controversy surrounding what working in PR
actually entails. Fortunately, we already took a look at what
PR professionals do on a daily in a previous media update article to give you a clear structure of their profession.
The job of a PR pro includes:
- telling stories about brands and companies
- managing crisis situations and shape the debates
- lots of research
- writing, writing and more writing
- planning events
- speaking to the media
- thinking creatively, and
- being social media ninjas.
Now that you have a better understanding of what PR pros actually do, it’s time to find out why this is a career that you’ll just absolutely love (
if we haven’t already convinced you with that job description).
media update’s Talisa Jansen van Rensburg can reveal four reasons why you’ll fall
in love with a PR career.
1. PR pros get to meet interesting brands
Do you love discovering new and intriguing brands that do extraordinary things that no other agencies do? If you answered “yes”, then you’re in luck. In the PR industry, you will constantly meet with new and potential clients that have a unique way of doing things.
This will also allow you to constantly develop your creative skills because you will be surrounded by brands that always strive to think outside of the box. By working with interesting brands, you can constantly ask questions and learn from people from all walks of life. This especially rings true because PR pros are not restricted to working with local companies; as many agencies will come to you from all over, you'll be able to learn from other cultures and will get a new perspective on how to approach things that you might have never learned on a local level.
2. PR practitioners never get bored
As a PR pro, there are countless roles you will need to be able to fill; from writer to excellent communicator, this career leaves a lot of room for growth and constant change. This ensures that you will never be bored with your work.
Regarding your
actual career, you’ll also be spoiled for choice regarding positions, as there are a lot of different types of PR pros. This means that if the day ever comes where you change your mind or gain a new interest in something, you can easily change the career direction that you would like to go in.
In a previous media update article, we looked at five types of PR, which includes:
- Crisis management: This PR pro knows exactly what to do during a crisis. Responsibilities can range from something small like tweeting out an apology to arranging a press conference in record time.
- Media relations: In this role, you’ll be focused on building strong relationships with the right people in the media industry, making networking a vital component of this job.
- Public affairs: This PR pro builds strong relationships with people in the government. If you enjoy the ongoings in politics, then this is definitely the job for you.
- Community relations: This PR pro knows the local community inside and out. If you love everything local and want to do all you can to better your community, then look no further than a job in community relations.
- Corporate social responsibility: This PR pro is all about the environment and ensuring that brands are doing their part in building socially aware communities. So, if you are passionate about taking care of the world around you and helping brands to do so, then this is the direction you need to be heading into.
3. As PR professional, you’re allowed to talk — a lot
Are you one of those people who just loves to talk, and talk … and, well,
talk? Then you’ll certainly have met your match with a career in PR. In the PR industry, you will need to be able to communicate with many different people — from journalists and brands to relevant people in different industries such as the CEO of a restaurant or even the manager at your local supermarket — this career is all about
communicating (get it?).
Your sole purpose in PR is to build strong relationships, which is done through networking and involves
quite a bit of chatter. In keeping these new networks strong, you’ll have to show you are interested in what they have to say, as well as share a bit of who you are with any potential clients in order to gain their trust.
Trust is essential in the PR industry because it allows you to build a long-lasting relationship with your clients. So, how do you gain a brand’s trust? By communicating your concerns with your client from the word 'go' and reassuring that you have their best interests at heart, of course! The key is to hold true to your promises and to never just be
all talk and
no show. Don't make promises that you can't deliver on, and do your best to deliver on your (obtainable) promises!
4. PR practitioners have flexible schedules
Working as a PR pro means that you’ll have lots of opportunities to be flexible. For example, one day you might be working in the office and the next day you will be waiting at a restaurant overlooking a beautiful view to meet a client.
You’ll also be able to try out new ways to better certain issues. For instance, you might find that your client keeps on receiving negative comments from consumers about their brand due to the fact that they don’t provide an online service. This gives you the opportunity to communicate with their audience and say that you will speak to the right people to ensure the brand goes online and resolve the problem.
Doing this requires a flexible schedule as you never know when these types of issues will arise. The way that brands work and how consumers want things constantly change, which means that, as a PR professional, you will need to be flexible and adjust your client’s brand according to the needs and requirements of their audience.
As a PR pro you will always have a flexible schedule because, as crises emerge or events change, you will need to be in a position to adapt to those changes and make things work. So, in a way you are a
superhero.
Exciting, huh?What other reasons do you think people fall in love with a PR career? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.
If you want to learn more about what it means to be a great PR professional, then be sure to read Five characteristics that excellent PR pros have.
*Image courtesy of Unsplash