"Is PR Right For Me?" Part 3

This is the third installment in a five part question and answer series aiming to help students decide if PR might be a good career fit.

Deirdre K. Breakenridge is President, Director of Communications at PFS Marketwyse. A veteran in the PR industry, Deirdre leads a creative team of PR and marketing executives strategizing to gain brand awareness for their clients through creative and strategic public relations campaigns. She counsels senior level executives at companies including RCN Metro Optical Networks, Quality Technology Services, JVC, Michael C. Fina and Kraft.

Deirdre is an adjunct professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey where she teaches Public Relations and Interactive Marketing for the Global Business Management program. She is the author of three Financial Times business books: "PR 2.0, New Media, New tools, New Audiences," "The New PR Toolkit" and "Cyberbranding: Brand Building in the Digital Economy."

You can connect with Deirdre on Twitter at @dbreakenridge. Also be sure to check out her blog, PR 2.0 Strategies, for a great follow-up post.

1. How did you end up in PR?
I knew in high school that I wanted to get a degree in communications. I loved to write, speak and I had an interest in the media. Public relations appeared to be a great fit for me. I remember being very excited that I could receive a Bachelor’s degree that taught me how to solve problems through cases, challenged me to work with different groups of people and also, at the time, had a strong focus in journalism and working with the media.

2. What are some of your past job titles? (Feel free to include any non-PR-related titles as well, if they helped you get where you are today).
In the past working all the way up to the present, I have held the following titles: Intern or Junior PR Assistant, Assistant Account Executive, Account Executive, PR Manager, Director of Business Research, Director of Public Relations, Executive Director of Public Relations, and President. The only title that was outside of the realm of public relations was Director of Business Research. I worked for a pharmaceutical consultant, and we did niche marketing for large brand pharmaceuticals companies. Most of my responsibilities included detailed business research and competitive intelligence. I learned a tremendous amount about business and the pharmaceutical market landscape. I truly believe that many of the skills that I learned during my days with this consultant led me to be an entrepreneur and business owner.

3. What do you consider to be the top three absolutely essential abilities a PR pro must have?
In the past, I would have said that excellent writing, good oral communications, and strong listening skills. However, today not only is it required that you have those skills, but also PR 2.0 and social media communications has a new skill set. PR pros need to be up to speed with technology and the web 2.0 collaborative communication, web analytics, CRM and web marketing.

4. What are some "unexpected" skills you've used in your job?
There are a few “unexpected” skills including web programming, backend content management of websites, and customer service (although this naturally comes with the PR territory). I believe that every “unexpected” skill makes you that much more valuable for your organization. If someone wants to teach you how to do something that may fall somewhat outside of your realm, take the opportunity to learn because the more you know about your company, the more quickly you can travel to the top!

5. How big of a role does personality play in PR job success? Are there any personality traits that are important to have (creativity, extroversion)?

I do believe that PR people need a certain personality to succeed in this industry. As you stated, you must be creative and an extrovert. You should know how to work well with other people, especially on teams. PR people need to be avid readers! It’s important that you’re tapped into the news whether you’re finding information from mainstream media or on the Internet. A PR person is usually very driven and doesn’t give up easily (persistent) and is able to handle rejection well. You need to be on your feet at all times and prepared for crisis and damage control. Lastly, PR comes with heavy deadlines (similar to journalism), so be prepared for a fast paced environment!

6. Fill in the blank: PR probably isn't the right field for you if you hate to _________.
I would finish your sentence with: write, talk to people and be involved with the public.

7. What academic course did you despise taking? What was your favorite?
I didn’t appreciate philosophy when I was in my undergraduate program, although now I think I would love it. I enjoyed all of my writing courses (journalism and magazine writing) and probably was one of the few students who wanted more public speaking classes! To this day, the classes I enjoyed most are what I do the most on a daily basis, in my role as an author, speaker and President of an agency.

8. What percentage of your job takes place in a traditional office setting?
I usually spend about three to four days a week in the office, but this changes from week to week. I’ve been speaking a lot at conferences and seminars around the country and I’ll be in Australia, Germany and hopefully Holland later in the year and in early 2010. When I’m traveling, then I’m only in the office a couple of days a week, if that. However, most of my responsibilities are achieved outside of the office setting. Because of the Internet and Web 2.0, I have the ability to connect with people all over the world and I’m able to work from anywhere.

9. How much of your job involves teamwork/working with others?
I would say that 90% of what I do involves teamwork. From the strategy and planning on client campaigns to working with my agency’s financial team, I rely on a skilled group of people to tackle challenges and reach goals. I learned in my MBA program very quickly that in business, it’s better to work in teams for synergy and to achieve a more productive workflow process.

10. What is the best part about your job?
I love the people! From my own employees to the many professionals that I meet at conferences and in my social networks, they are all extremely knowledgeable and talented professionals. They teach me something each and every day. In the PR business, you always have to keep learning. When you surround yourself with incredibly smart people it will help you to discover, develop and grow faster in your own career.

11. Any other comments?
Now is in incredibly exciting time in public relations as we are reinventing our industry through PR 2.0 and social media communications. With all of the changes and challenges that we’re experiencing, the rewards are even greater. Today, PR professionals are learning how to connect directly with people in social networks and to become important resources of information. We, too, are becoming influencers, helping and enlightening others. As such, we’re also educating our brands on the best way to listen and engage in the social media landscape and how to reach their public(s) directly with customized stories, timely information and meaningful interactions.

"Is PR Right For Me?" Part 2

This is the second installment in a five part question and answer series aiming to help students decide if PR might be a good career fit.

Jason Mical is a senior account manager and Digital Strategist at Spook. An American Ex-Pat and award-winning blogger, Jason first dialled into a BBS in 1990, where he moderated his first forum.

He began working professionally online in 2000 for the filmmaker Michael Moore during an internship on The Awful Truth, and came to Edelman’s Seattle office in 2006 after working for three years for WizKids, a groundbreaking tabletop gaming company. He specializes in consumer, entertainment and tech PR, although his client list is diverse and ranges from Visa Europe to RBS to Krispy Kreme to Xbox to Starbucks. You can connect with Jason on Twitter at @BrotherMagneto.

1. How did you end up in PR?
I ended up here by accident really. I studied English Lit and Religion in college and was going to work in publishing or writing. I ended up working as a social worker in Oklahoma for a couple of years, while freelance writing and volunteering within a gaming community to run games. Turns out the games company who made the game was hiring, so I moved to Seattle to work for them in an official capacity. After 6 months the company had a round of layoffs and I ended up in the PR role at the company, and my career took off from there. It was a really interesting situation because the company was extremely cutting-edge (for its time) in terms of digital PR and social media – a lot of our efforts were done online. And this was 2003.

2. What are some of your past job titles? (Feel free to include any non-PR-related titles as well, if they helped you get where you are today).
PR Manager. Communications manager. Senior Account Executive, Account Supervisor. Freelance writer (is that a title?)

3. What do you consider to be the top three absolutely essential abilities a PR pro must have?
First – writing skills. If you can’t write to express yourself – and are able to adapt your writing to any audience, from an executive to a 14-year-old on the Internet – you will struggle. Imagine sending a memo to Bill Gates and then turning around and replying to a question from a Halo fan in the same hour. If you can do that, you’ll be alright. As a corollary, I would add the ability to talk to other people. I don’t mean a naturally extroverted ‘talk about nothing’ which passes for good PR a lot of the time. I’m an introvert by nature but I can make myself understood - again based on audiences, from executives to people at trade shows.

Second – creativity. Don’t be afraid to push the envelope with ideas. Who cares if it sounds dumb? Who cares if it’s completely unfeasible within the budget? If it sounds cool, suggest it, and then see where it takes you.

Third – the ability to synthesize and analyse information. This is what separates a good PR person – someone who can get coverage, is buddy-buddy with a reporter or an analyst, or can give a powerpoint presentation – with a great PR person. The great PR person will look at past campaigns and current efforts, take the measure of an entire landscape and say ‘OK, this is what this all means, and this is what we should do about it.’ It’s remarkable how many people in this field can’t do this.

4. What are some "unexpected" skills you've used in your job?
Poker playing. The ability to make a mocktail look like a cocktail (can’t drink too much at client functions!) The ability to speak coherently about a topic while you’re organizing your thoughts about what you REALLY want to say.

5. How big of a role does personality play in PR job success? Are there any personality traits that are important to have (creativity, extroversion)?
Definitely creativity – especially if you want to start doing the really cool PR stuff. As I mentioned before, introverts can do this job too (I do it!) but I think it appeals more to extroverts – I absolutely hate cold-calling journalists, even though I can do it.

There’s also a certain personality that will be more successful at this job than others – the hours are sometimes very long and tempers can be short. The ability to work well with others cannot be stressed enough, and a lot of people approach PR from a ‘live to work’ mentality – to the point where they literally ‘show value’ by the amount of time they spend at the office, rather than the quality of their work. That’s a great way to burn yourself out very quickly. You need to take a ‘work to live’ mentality to it, and not take the job too seriously – obviously take it seriously, but remember that you’re not a surgeon. You’re not saving lives on a daily basis, you’re selling things for companies. Approach it with that mentality and you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble.

6. Fill in the blank: PR probably isn't the right field for you if you hate ___________________.
Sometimes having to work on weekends or off-hours.

7. What academic course did you despise taking? What was your favorite?
Math, because i’m terrible at it. My favourite was any of the history courses I took – but I’m a liberal arts major, not a PR/comms major. :)

8. What percentage of your job takes place in a traditional office setting?
About 90-95% of it, although that varies based on what we’re doing at any given time.

9. How much of your job involves teamwork/working with others?
All of it. This isn’t a solo job, unless you set up your own practice.

10. What is the best part about your job?
On a personal level I am a believer in and a fan of the democratization of conversation that the Internet allows us to have. Companies have just as much (or just as little, depending on your point of view) right to their view as anyone else, and in the end it will only be beneficial for businesses to participate in online dialogue. This is a drastic change from the control-and-spin methods of traditional public relations, and helping companies understand this – and participate online – is extremely rewarding to me. Someone will say that, say, a massive oil company will not benefit from online engagement. On the contrary, being forced to face the massive amounts of criticism for their unethical actions might actually lead them to change how they operate, as the window for ignoring what’s happening online is becoming smaller and smaller and will eventually disappear completely. So there is most certainly a value in all companies participating in online conversation in one way or another, and helping them see this and take these steps is personally rewarding for me.

11. Any other comments?
PR is becoming more and more about building relationships with the wider communities than simply talking to journalists. The entire industry is on the verge of a major change, which is very exciting because those who understand what’s going on and more importantly what’s coming next will be well suited to forge excellent careers for themselves in PR. PR is essentially merging with customer service, because the customer is the ‘influencer’ now – and we need to talk directly to customers once again. It’s also much more about helping our clients become influencers themselves – the great dichotomy of PR at the moment is traditionally, PR was about speaking to influencers and hoping their ‘influence’ would carry your messages through. It’s now about becoming an influencer yourself, and helping your clients do the same. Those who understand that principle will go far in this field.

"Is PR Right For Me?" Part 1

As president of the PRSSA chapter at my university, I answer a lot of questions. During a recent conversation I had, one member expressed the following concern: "I'm still not sure if PR is the right field for me."

::GASP!:: A college student who is undecided on a course of study...wait, that happens all the time. Personally, my internship experience is what has assured me I've chosen the right major, so it's easy to see why many students may be unsure.

The following post is the first in a five part question and answer series aiming to help students decide if PR might be a good career fit.


Lauren Fernandez is a marketing and public relations professional in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She currently works as marketing coordinator for National Office of American Mensa and it’s philanthropic arm, the Mensa Education & Research Foundation. She is a student of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Leadership Academy, and Social Media SIG Co-Chair for Ft. Worth PRSA. She’s also an avid sports fan, loves shoes and maintains the blog LAF. She can be found on Twitter @CubanaLAF.


1. How did you end up in PR?
I was dead set on being a journalism-news editorial major in college. After two years on the high school newspaper, as well as a summer internship in a newsroom after my freshmen year of college, I knew that news-editorial was not for me. The hectic and unorganized hours would have driven me crazy. I went and met with my advisor, not knowing what I should do. I still loved writing and research, and wanted to stay in the journalism program. He suggested with my demeanor and driven attitude that PR would be a great fit.

2. What are some of your past job titles? (Feel free to include any non-PR-related titles as well, if they helped you get where you are today).

Intern - The Kula Group (Healthcare PR)
20th Century Fox/Fox Searchlight Intern - Dallas (Moroch Entertainment)
Sony Pictures Intern - Dallas, Albuquerque, Tulsa and Oklahoma City (Moroch Entertainment)
Assistant Account Executive for a healthcare IT and technology PR agency
Marketing Coordinator, American Mensa (all PR and social media for AML and the Mensa Foundation)

3. What do you consider to be the top three absolutely essential abilities a PR pro must have?

1. Writing
2. Research
3. Dedication and Willingness to Learn

4. What are some "unexpected" skills you've used in your job?

In PR, you really have to able to think on your feet - and understand that nothing is below you. If you need to go run a quarter of a mile in heels down a tradeshow floor to get something, you do it. I also never thought I would need to know HTML, although I had learned it during my computer science classes.

5. How big of a role does personality play in PR job success? Are there any personality traits that are important to have (creativity, extroversion)?

Honestly, it depends on your brand, organization or agency. Some are much more conservative and want an aloof, over-professional demeanor. Some let you wear jeans, and want your personality to shine. For example, we view Mensa as a quirky brand - and you have to have a personality to work here. Through my social media work, I've learned that personality is even more key. Again, it's all about finding your best fit. Some want you to be more extroverted, others more silent and listener. Most are surprised to learn that I'm not as extroverted as I come across, but my job has made me more so, to the point that I'm extremely comfortable.

6. Fill in the blank: PR probably isn't the right field for you if you hate: ________.
Research and not thinking outside the box.

7. What academic course did you despise taking? What was your favorite?

Anything math related - I can do it, but my brain is not wired that way. A + B = C always made me wonder if I could veer off and find D. My favorite classes were PR related - the capstone classes that were a challenge, such as campaigns, case studies and PR ethics. The challenge made me think and explore other areas of thought.

8. What percentage of your job takes place in a traditional office setting?

I would say about 80 percent does. I help with local events, as well as our national events - but we only have a couple of those a year. Attending events is not a big part of my job, but handling all media relations and PR for them are.

9. How much of your job involves teamwork/working with others?

Right now, I am in a two person marketing department. I handle all PR and social media, but I do serve as in-house PR counsel for 135 local chapters. Therefore, teamwork is a big part of what I do on a local level. Also, our office atmosphere is very team oriented - we all ask each other for advice, questions, etc.

10. What is the best part about your job?

Knowing that what I do will always be different. There is never a dull day around the Mensa office - something new is always going on, whether it is an event or member accomplishment. I love the media relations aspect of my job as well - I've gotten to work with 60 Minutes, NPR, Good Morning America and the Washington Post, to name a few. I also get to work with cable TV shows, which is something I have never done before.

11. Any other comments?
PR is all what you make of it. Find your niche and what you like to do best. This is why internships during your college career are key - not only will it give you experience, but it will give you an idea of what you're good at, and which industry is best for you. Venture out and try something new, because corporate or agency isn't for everyone. Associations and non-profit have given me much more learning experience as entry level than my entry level agency job did.

Students: Avoid "Common Sense" Mistakes

This summer, I've been working hard to improve my work as a PR intern. I always ask for advice and wisdom from my co-workers and supervisors, who've been more than willing to share their knowledge with me.

During a recent Tweetup I attended, one PR pro mentioned his surprise at how many "common sense" bloopers he's seen from students. This prompted me to dig deeper to see if I could find others who've witnessed similar student blunders.

So I've been asking, "What's the biggest common sense mistake you've seen an intern/student make?" Here is some advice based on the responses I've received so far:

• Don't Be Afraid to Ask Questions. If you're not sure about something, it's better to ask a question than spend time doing something incorrectly--only to have to go back and re-do it. You could waste more time and resources screwing up a project than you would asking a few questions here and there. Remember, we're still learning (about the profession and about the company/client), so don't be ashamed if you have to ask for guidance every once in a while. And if your work environment isn't exactly "question-friendly," it probably isn't going to be the best learning experience, and you may want to re-evaluate your goals for the position.
  
• Don't Expect People to Hold Your Hand. Never expect a handout from someone, especially someone you've only met once or twice. Example: After a brief initial conversation, one student told a pro to contact him to set up an agency tour. If an agency agrees to make special accommodations and allow you to come in for a tour, that is called a favor and you should be thankful. It is then your responsibility to follow up with an email or phone call and try to set up possible dates, unless the person specifically says they will get back to you.
  
• Follow the Corporate Dress Code. Every company is different, but there are almost always guidelines for office wardrobe. Some offices allow sleeveless or short-sleeved shirts to be worn, others do not. Some permit blue jeans on Fridays, some do not. It can be difficult to find a happy medium between being under-dressed and over-dressed, but after a while you start to catch on. The important thing here is never to dress inappropriately. I can't speak from experience on what is inappropriate for men to wear, but women definitely shouldn't wear clothing that shows too much chest or leg, or anything that you can see through. Dressing inappropriately often makes others in the office feel uncomfortable around you, and usually will lead to an awkward conversation between you and your supervisor. If you're not sure about what is appropriate for your office, ask! Many companies have written guidelines to follow. When in doubt, if it's something you would wear to the club on Friday night, it's probably not office-appropriate.
• Remember, we all have to start somewhere. One intern was surprised she was assigned to make copies of a proposal. Another never thought he would have to build a media list. Like it or not, both of these tasks are very common in the PR world. And while they may seem monotonous to some, these assignments can actually be very beneficial learning experiences. Making copies of a proposal often allows you to get an understanding of what makes a good proposal, while building a media list helps you learn the names and beats of members of the media. Acting like you're above a task is not only bad character, it shows you are not willing to work your way toward more responsibility. Every project should be greeted with enthusiasm and an eagerness to learn--unless of course it is unethical or inappropriate. Chances are your supervisors and co-workers started off as interns themselves, and have been able to move up with a little hard work and determination.

While making mistakes is a part of life, I feel students need to take a proactive approach to learn from the mistakes of others. Attending workshops and conferences and asking others about their experiences are great ways to ensure you're on top of your game. And remember, if you make a mistake, don't be ashamed or afraid to admit it--learn from it.

What are some other "common sense" mistakes interns/students make? Were any of them unforgivable?

5 Tips For Effective Follow-Up Calls

Today I had the opportunity to follow-up with some members of the media regarding one of our client projects. Here are 5 things I learned from my experience that might be of help to other PR interns who are picking up the phone.

1. Do your research. Since I just started as an intern, I wanted to be sure to have a strong understanding of both the client and the project I was pitching. This way, I would feel more comfortable discussing the project with reporters and would be prepared to answer their questions to the best of my ability. Make sure you go over the client’s Web site, clip reports, promotional materials, etc. to understand the basics of their mission and background.
   

2. Be prepared. I made sure to have everything I needed at my fingertips in case I was thrown a curve ball by one of the reporters. In front of me I had the media list of reporters to call, a copy of the op-ed piece I was calling about, the client’s Web site on my computer screen, a piece of paper to jot down notes and even a glass of water in case my throat got the best of me.
   

3. Know what you’re going to say before you dial. I wrote out a list of bullet points of exactly what I wanted to say to each reporter (in order) so I made sure I wasn’t missing anything. The key is to write down key messages, not a script, so you sound casual--not rehearsed. Also, keep in mind many reporters will not be able to answer, so know what you plan to say in a voicemail if it comes to that. Keep messages short and to the point. Be sure not to ramble, but also make sure you include all the imperative information such as who you are calling on behalf of, what you are calling about and your contact information. You might want to have a separate bulleted list of key messages for voicemail. Oh--and remember to write down your work phone number if you don’t have it memorized. During the first call I made, I reached the reporter’s voicemail and began thinking about what I was going to say. It was then that I realized I did not have my work phone number memorized yet. Thankfully, I was able to hang up without leaving a message and retrieve the information I needed. I ended up calling the reporter back later and leaving a fully detailed message, but it just goes to show you the importance of being fully prepared.
   

4. Know the answers to commonly asked questions. Many reporters will ask things like, “When did you send the information?”, “How did you send it?”, “What e-mail address did you send it to?” or “Do you have a photo to include?” Knowing the answers to these questions ahead of time will prevent you from seeming uninformed and will ensure you get reporters the information they need right away.
   

5. Keep track of responses. This may be a given, but make sure you are keeping track of the progress you make. I found it easiest to save a new spreadsheet of the media list and include a column titled “Follow-Up Status.” You can use this column to write down if you left a message, if the reporter requested more information or even if the outlet has plans to run the story.
   

These are just a few tips I came up with based on my experience making follow-up calls today.

Interns, have you done follow-up calls before? What are some of your own tips?