Last month I received a beautiful flower bouquet and note from Communiqué PR celebrating my first year at the company. It’s been an amazing journey this past year, jam-packed with different experiences and projects that have helped shape me into the public relations professional I am today.
In college, I had taken one public relations class before I joined the company, giving me a general sense of the industry but not nearly enough hands-on experience to know what I was getting myself into. To my great surprise and comfort, my boss, Christie, welcomed me in and showed me the depths of public relations. She taught me foundational skills as I started my career and continues to be my role model at work. Fast forward to a year later – I’ve learned a lot in my career and want to share with you some of the most important takeaways.
Be an enthusiastic team player
Public relations is not a solo game and working closely with colleagues is vital to successfully deliver quality work to clients. I’ve learned that it’s beneficial to always offer help on projects and be proactive with how you can contribute. Showing enthusiasm and positivity toward my team has helped me take on some challenging yet rewarding work that would not have landed in my lap unless I asked. It’s also given me the confidence to know that when I get overwhelmed with work, my coworkers will have my back like I have theirs.
Invest in time management skills
While time management isn’t offered as a course at university, I believe it’s a must for every public relations professional to learn and effectively apply daily. Having the ability to prepare, plan and execute day-to-day activities is essential to ensuring we are maximizing our time and offering clients superior service and work. To-do lists have been my saving grace and helped me keep track of assignments. Not only are to-do lists beneficial for keeping track of tasks, but it also helps understand the big picture, which has allowed me to begin to predict and address client or media inquiries before they arise.
No two days will be alike
Public relations is a fast-paced industry and we wear a lot of hats for clients. Because of this, work often takes on many different shapes – and I love it! Whether it’s writing, event planning, media relations or social media, there are many moving parts that keep our daily work interesting and exciting. While no two days will be alike, I’ve discovered there is a commonality among us as professionals, always looking for new and innovative ideas to uniquely tell our clients’ stories.
These are just some of the many lessons I’ve learned in my first year at Communiqué PR, and of course I still have a lot to discover. I truly believe that the key to my success is being part of a team that is strong, supportive and celebrates the many wins achieved over the past year. I can’t wait to learn more from my team as I continue to eagerly grow as a public relations professional.