“We are excited to have you onboard,” one of the founding partners told me as I was settling into my new role. Little did I know, what I was about to embark on would change my perception on PR, business and what it means to do what you love.
It all started with my fascination with how stories are told and how perceptions are built – PR helps make things possible. I was going to school full-time just learning the ropes of the industry and suddenly I was working full-full time trying to climb them. Luckily, it was a smooth transition.
As my first year dedicating about 260 days (which equates to roughly 2,080 hours and 124,800 minutes) to PR comes to a close, it’s important to reflect on the accomplishments and failures in order to plan for success in the future – because if you don’t love what you do and strive to do it better, why do it? I’d like to share three pieces of advice for the up-and-coming PR pro that I wish people told me when I was starting out.
- Keep a list of all the reporters you build relationships with and keep notes of your correspondence. I began building my personal media list about six months after I started pitching reporters. Note, it’s crucial to remember what reporters tell you (what stories they like, what clients they’re interested in, what they don’t like, editorial guidelines, etc.). I recommend building a list in Excel – I’ll discuss organization later.
- Exceptional writing skills are a must. I wish I had known how important it is to have strong writing skills because I would have taken it more seriously in school. I felt as though I was pretty good before I started – now it’s good I’m up for a decent challenge. You do a lot of writing in this job, so if you don’t like to write, this may not be the right career for you.
- You will need to learn a lot about many industries really fast – and it doesn’t slow down. Try not to get too overwhelmed and just do your best. The more you can read and learn about your client’s industry, the more valuable you will be to the client, the reporter and the agency – don’t forget that.
In addition to reflecting on what I wish I knew, I also wanted to share some advice about ways that you can plan for success in the future, because the planning should never stop. I suggest setting yearly goals; every year, evaluate your progress and set measurable objectives to reach your targets. We should never stop striving to become a more improved version of ourselves! Never stop working for tomorrow, but always live in the now – it’s a healthy motto to live by. Here are a couple suggestions to help keep everything together as you continue your journey in PR.
- Create and maintain an integrated organizational system. Sync your email to your phone, laptop and iPad/tablet and keep your inbox organized so you can find things quickly. Also, create a well-kept organizational system for your office space that works for you. It’ll be important to plan for ways to be prepared for anything as quickly as possible – staying organized is critical in this industry.
- Take time to smell the flowers. Take time for yourself and your life outside of the office. It’s important to be successful and I promote doing what it takes to get the job done, but do so at the right pace. Have fun with your coworkers and get to know them because it’ll make working more enjoyable if you work around people you know and like. Enjoy your time off and take care of yourself by going on vacation, going to the gym and eating healthy food. It’s important to uphold a workhard – playhard (aka) work-life balance lifestyle. You’ll make yourself happier as well as the people around you.
If you have any advice, tips or stories that’ll help me, and those who will soon cross the “I survived my first year in PR” finish line, please share!