Sharpening Your Tools: From PR Pros
No matter what major you’ve declared in college, you are in the process of developing a skill set necessary for your future career. We tend to align what we learn throughout college courses solely to our occupations of choice. However, it can be enlightening to see how we can apply it to everyday life outside the classroom or workplace!
Even for those outside of the school of communications, learning the skills public relations professionals use to be successful in their careers has something to offer you in your day-to-day life.
Be curious
In the world of PR, professionals work with clients to assist them in achieving organizational goals. A PR pro must put in the effort to understand a client and their goals, ask lots of questions, and find as much clarity as possible.
So how can this apply to you?
If something is intriguing to you, learn more about it! Start typing away in that Google search bar, ask a mentor, or seek out an additional resource. You cannot know everything, but everything you may want to know can be clarified somewhere, somehow. You might just become a resource for someone else who has had the same question that you once had.
Be adaptable
PR pros are masters at being adaptable to their environment. From working with multiple different clients at once, handling unexpected crises, to staying ahead of the newest digital trends/advancements, and so on, there is a lot to keep up with. Learning how to exercise your ability to be adaptable can expand your capacity to handle change and help you in your willingness to take on new challenges. Remember to keep an open mind and get acclimated with the idea that things won't always go as planned. Remember, you must break out of your comfort zone to discover real growth!
Take initiative
Whether it’s cultivating a relationship with an organization’s community or establishing a crisis response plan, PR pros must take initiative in order to succeed in their role. You likely have aspirations you’ve written down in a journal somewhere or goals jotted down on a sticky note. Starting can be the hardest part of the journey, but taking the first step to ask the question or do the research concerning your end goal will get you on the right track; exceed your expectations!
Be persistent
PR pros engaging in media relations, for example, are tasked with establishing relationships with journalists and pitching stories for an organization. Sometimes this involves pitching to two or even twelve different media outlets or sending consistent meeting follow-up emails to a journalist.
Maybe you won’t find yourself in this particular situation, but it is beneficial to establish the persistent mindset that has proven necessary for PR pros. Today, instant gratification has become increasingly normalized. However, most results cannot guarantee a two-day delivery. Identify your wants and desires and find what motivates you.
Consider times where you felt motivated to complete a task, write down those instances, and ask yourself the “why” questions to figure out what gets you motivated. Despite the curve balls you may be thrown, uphold the discipline to stay on course.
What’s next?
Now, it is up to you to consider applying these skills to your own life. No matter if you’re aspiring to become a rocket scientist or public relations professional in the future, just remember that the best way to sharpen skills is to use them.
About Katelyn
Katelyn McQuillan is a Junior studying Advertising & Public Relations with an emphasis in public relations. Katelyn currently holds the position of Account Associate with GrandPR. This is her first semester with GrandPR and she is looking forward to growing professionally with the team. Katelyn currently works for the GVSU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office as a Student Worker.