Are You PR Material?

So you’re thinking about a career in public relations, but how do you know if it’s right for you? Although you may not be positive that this career will suit you, you may possess the essential qualities of being a PR pro without even realizing it.

A study conducted in 2004 on agency, corporate and non-profit powerhouses reported several areas that can distinguish a successful career in the demanding PR world:

1. Diversity: Clients understand the need for their public relations staff to have the ability to communicate with a diverse audience. For the ideal PR pro communicating with diverse groups of people all day would not be intimidating, but enjoyable!

2. Communication skills: American public relations consultant and author, Fraser P. Seitel, admits that every PR professional should have a pro communication attitude. If you never fear of talking to the public and take full advantage of those opportunities, you just may be PR material.

3. Proactivity and passion: Take it from me; being proactive and passionate can take you places in this industry. I recently applied for an internship, and I immediately found a contact person to email expressing my interest. She was able to forward my resume to the HR department. After I was called back for an interview, I emailed her once again thanking her for her help, asked for any interview tips to give me a leg up on the competition. She responded enthusiastically by saying, “the communication you’re putting in makes the difference between the average and the great employees, so stay proactive and you’ll go far.”

4. Intangibles, such as personality, likeability, and chemistry: NYC PR Girls say you know you have PR charm if you can confidently and comfortably walk into any event. You would even be comfortable walking in by yourself because you’re confident that you’ll be best friends with everyone before the end of the night.

In The Practice of Public Relations by Fraser P. Seitel, he outlines specific “attitudes” that are imperative to PR professionals:

1. Advocacy: Public relations professionals are required to believe in their clients. They are the voice of their employers, therefore they must advocate on their behalf. Standing up for what their employers represent is a must.

2. Ethics: It is required that public relations professionals be ethical. The PRSA Code of Ethics states that, “bottom line, successful public relations hinges on the ethics of its practitioners.” If doing the right thing is your thing, then the possibility of your success in PR is looking good.

3. Positive outlook: NYC PR Girls warn that rejection happens in the PR industry, but that does not mean you are allowed to take no for an answer. There are times where public relations work can get frustrating, but it is important for the mantra of PR professionals to be “You win some, you lose some.”

Do you "have what it takes" to be a successful PR professional? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Samantha Miller.