Career Development

PR Pros + the APR

PRSA New Pros 2 Comments

Continuing education should be a focal point of every professional’s long-term career plan, but especially for PR pros. Working in an industry that is constantly changing requires lifelong dedication to learning, professional development and adapting. It’s not enough to graduate from college with a degree and to have done well in your coursework; continuing your education past graduation is necessary to be a successful PR professional.

There are plenty of ways to keep appraised of new trends, tools, practices and theories within the industry. Many websites and professional organizations, like Hubspot, PRSA, Skillshare, the American Marketing Association, and Ragan Communications, offer online courses and training opportunities on a wide range of topics. You can become certified in inbound marketing, Google Adwords and Analytics, social media marketing or a number of other skills in a matter of days or weeks. Then, of course, there’s the APR — or Accreditation in Public Relations.

Administered by the Universal Accreditation Board, the APR is a designed to “unify and advance the public relations profession by identifying those who have demonstrated a broad knowledge, experience and professional judgement in the field,” according to the UAB’s website. Professionals who sit for the APR exam must have at least five years of professional experience and a bachelor’s degree or higher. Once you become an APR, you’re required to earn 10 maintenance points every three years to remain an APR. Activities that earn maintenance points include professional development courses, teach, mentor, volunteer, serve in a leadership position, publish a book, and more. Five of the points must be in continuing education and professional development.

There are plenty of arguments out there for and against becoming accredited. Some say that the APR has no value and is just a gimmick to get members to spend more money on courses and memberships to remain accredited. Others say that becoming accredited is the best thing they’ve done for their career and understanding of the profession.

Conflicting opinions from respected professionals inspired my deeper survey into how PR practitioners of all experience levels feel about the APR. Using Twitter and email outreach, I gathered 40 responses to a survey I created to gauge feelings toward the APR. The breakdown of respondents looks like this:

apr

Fifty-one percent of responses showed neutral to negative attitudes toward the APR. Ten respondents were either completely on the fence about becoming an APR or leaning against becoming an APR. Eleven respondents are firmly against becoming an APR.

Of the remaining responses, six professionals had become accredited and 10 were planning to pursue an APR. The three remaining responders were on the fence, but leaning towards pursuing an APR.

Those who were not planning to become accredited cited a lack of value as their main reason not to pursue it. A common sentiment was that, given the way PR and marketing have fused and that PR is no longer strictly publicity- and media relations-based, the APR may be a bit antiquated and not quite relevant to today’s professionals.

One account executive from New Jersey pointed out, “I think it may be more beneficial in a strictly-PR career. For example, leading a large agency or working in-house. I also noticed that many of my professors in undergrad had an APR title. It seemed a bit “old school” to many of my colleagues, and I don’t see it much in the professional world of marketing.”

“I took the test a few years back and didn’t feel it truly represented where the field and professionals are in today’s world,” said the president of a Washington, D.C.-based communications firm.

According to a vice president of PR at an agency in Pittsburgh, “[I decided not to pursue an APR] A few years ago when literally everyone I spoke to in a marketing role had no idea what it was and the fact that many senior PR executives actively said it wasn’t worth it. There is no discernible value to it outside of PRSA and intrinsic personal development. No one knows what it is or why they should care.”

From the information I’ve gathered, the biggest hurdle to becoming an APR is in understanding what, if any, value there is. Many people surveyed felt that there weren’t enough career benefits to justify the time, effort and cost of the APR, especially since it’s not just a one-time investment. According to those professionals who were already APRs, there aren’t necessarily immediate or highly noticeable career benefits. The benefits are primarily personal and in the form of resources, networking and personal accomplishment.

“I think the biggest problem with APR is that many in the field are skeptical of what it can and should do. They point to the lack of rigor in the criteria and say it’s not like becoming a CPA, passing the Bar, or earning a CFP,” said a Pittsburgh APR with 31 years of experience. “They miss the point. In communications, we are free to communicate without license and that’s a good thing. But accreditation is only designed to demonstrate that the individual takes personal pride in his or her commitment to professionalism. Is committed to the code of ethics. And that a third-party (PRSA) has testified to this.”

The 10 responders who said they plan to pursue an APR pointed to a deeper understanding of the profession and validation, credibility and proof of skill as the benefits of the APR. Seven of the 10 professionals plan to begin the APR process in the next five years, while two plan to begin the process in the next year.

So should New Pros consider becoming an APR? Sure, we should consider it. We should have many conversations with other pros of all levels and experiences about it. When it comes down to whether to actually do it, that’s a personal decision.

When I started researching for this post, I thought I had made up my mind that I would become an APR once I had enough experience under my belt. After hearing thoughts from professionals on both ends of the spectrum, I’m not so sure. From my research, I’m not the only New Pro who’s a bit undecided. Seventeen New Pro-level practitioners completed this survey; nine are on the fence about the APR, three are uninterested and five would like to pursue one in the future.

There are so many options out there for professional development that an APR is just one of many options for New Pros to continue to grow over the course of their careers. Since professional development needs to be incredibly personalized, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for what the best options are. The best thing for any New Pro is to weigh all of your options – APR vs. graduate degree, extra courses vs. webinars, etc. – and strike up a conversation with as many other PR pros as you can to bounce ideas around, learn new things and find what might work best for you. 

Robyn Rudish-Laning (1)

Robyn Rudish-Laning is a member of South Carolina’s PRSA chapter and is communications coordinator for the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness. Robyn is also a member of the New Professionals executive committee. She is a graduate of Duquesne University and is currently located in Columbia, SC. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter or read her blog here.

They Are Not Gray Hairs…They Are Experience Highlights

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As a 40-something with no career direction and an imminent layoff, I was at a crossroads in life. A friend recommended a life coach where I discovered an important aspect of my personality. The personal motivator for my feeling happy and successful was a need to elicit reactions from people. It was not about needing positive reinforcement or pats on the back from bosses, but simply having people react to something I wrote, designed, organized, or created. Unfortunately, acting was not an option, so I chose the closest field…public relations.

Twenty years in higher education presented opportunities to dabble in parts of PR. Plan an event here, make a presentation there, learn how to update a website, establish a social media presence, craft a new message to alumni. Rejection reasons for not getting PR jobs was due to not possessing the “right” writing skills or a degree in the field. Job offers actually received were entry-level and half the salary. There were moments of feeling I made the jump to this career too late in life.  Possessing the skills but not the job titles appeared to be holding me back and prohibiting any chance for becoming a PR professional.

Not having aspirations of staying unemployed for 26 weeks led to applying for and getting a position with a non-profit organization via LinkedIn. The job title is far from glamorous (Executive Assistant); however, the salary is competitive and matches the duties. Job tasks land in all facets of social media, branding, media relations, strategic planning, and marketing of the organization.

If you are debating making the transition or feel you have made a mistake with your mid-life change over to public relations, understand that it is not too late! Do not limit yourself to looking at corporate positions or competitive firms. As a more seasoned employee, you are what non-profits and small businesses are looking for. They appreciate broad experience and need individuals who are ready to hit the ground running.

If you are debating making the transition or feel you have made a mistake with yourmid-life change over to public relations, understand that it is not too late!

A recent article by Jenny Blake in Real Simple magazine provided strategies to keep in mind when contemplating a new career:

  • Never obsess about what happened in the last job. Those who are over the age of 30 remember the parental lectures of staying loyal to a company. It is not the norm any longer. Take the best parts of your previous positions and move along.
  • Self-Assess. Do the life/career coach thing. Even if you do not want to work with a professional, ask a friend. Take a stab at the StrengthsFinder 2.0 to look at your experience and get some direction.
  • Break up your job search: People, Skills, Opportunities. Jump on that LinkedIn page and schedule some Starbucks time. Register for a class on Coursera. Let Monster do the searching for you with job alerts.
  • Never stop looking. Always look at what else is out there, how you can improve your skills, and who can benefit in the long term. I am always scanning the job sites for the newest titles/duties to develop ideas for skills I may need or want down the road.

Do not lose sight of who you are and the years you have under your belt. Those articles for the company newsletter, Christmas parties planned, and posts on Twitter can transition nicely into a successful public relations career.

MeFiguring she will never have her dream job of writing jokes for Jimmy Fallon, Carrie Mihalko decided to pursue a new career in Public Relations. With over 20 years in higher education and non-profits, she feels like she has seen it all in event planning, fundraising/development, social media, website design, and marketing. Residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Carrie works for the Steel Valley Authority as their in-house communications writer/graphic designer/jack-of-all trades. She also does freelance-work creating publications, websites, and social media plans with small businesses and non-profits. Connect with Carrie on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

Tips for Mentoring a PR Newbie on the Art and Science of Media Relations

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So you’ve been asked to train, mentor, or manage a PR newbie on all things media relations. Congrats! Now what? Media relations is an art and a science. Mastering the balance takes practice, and can be challenging to new PR pros starting out in the workplace as an intern or account coordinator. While some colleges teach media relations, many do not, and those that do often only skim the surface.

That being said, those starting out in the PR world could use media relations guidance – a task that often falls on more senior account coordinators, or account executives and account supervisors. Often the shift from new pro to “less new” pro, responsible for helping out the greenest team members, can be tricky. Here are some helpful hints that I’ve found to be helpful, both as I’ve been mentored and have mentored others.

1. Remember that patience is a virtue, and encourage questions.

lauren-leger_media-relations-mentoring

Be patient with newbies – while you might be an ace at media relations, this is totally new to your mentee, and they will need some time to become an expert. Being patient with them will both encourage and motivate them, and create a more positive experience for both parties. As a manager or mentor, you are responsible for helping newbies build their skillset and confidence. As The Power Group’s account supervisor shared with me when I asked for her advice for this blog post,

“Always have an open door policy for questions. If your new account team member is afraid to ask questions, chances are they’ll come up with their own answers, which can be risky and potentially damage your outreach campaign.”

2. Show and tell – employ a “face-to-face” edits model.

If you receive a less-than-stellar media list from a new pro, don’t be afraid to call him or her over to your desk and go through the list, talking through your thought process. It’s easy to hide not-so-nice feedback behind an email chain, but I’ve found that sharing insight into your own process can be really helpful for new pros. If you’re making a personal connection and talking through your own media relations lessons learned, even better. Don’t hesitate to talk through mistakes made by the intern or account coordinator. It can be tough to deliver that feedback, but it’s crucial for the mentee to hear in order to improve.

3. Give your mentees plenty of opportunities to watch and learn.

I learned so much from my first media relations manager simply by watching how she composed an email to a journalist, coordinated an editorial, or approached booking trade show press appointments. A great (and risk-free) way to learn is simply to soak up everything like a sponge. As a mentor, that means including your mentee in every media relations activity you possibly can. Sitting in on client interviews, tagging along to broadcast segments, and observing media training are all great learning opportunities. Leveraging industry publications and organizations, such as PRSA and Cision, is also a great way for mentees to learn. Mandatory webinars and lunch and learns are a great way for an intern or account coordinator to “familiarize faster,” according to my account supervisor Jordan Liberty.

What are some of the more helpful things your direct supervisors have done to guide you in your media relations learning? What are some tips that you would add to this list?

lauren-leger

As digital account executive at The Power Group, Lauren creates custom digital strategies, crafts tailored social media content, and manages social media accounts on behalf of clients. She also leads Power’s inbound marketing efforts, and is certified by HubSpot Academy in Inbound Methodology. Lauren’s expertise is in B2B and technology. She started at Power in the fall of 2014 as an account executive, and manages select PR accounts. (Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn and Twitter)

3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Accepting a Job Offer

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The internet is full of great advice about how to find a job – where to look, how to approach a hiring manager, what to say in a perfect cover letter – but I’ve noticed that advice on how to identify the right job for you isn’t as abundant.

When you graduate from college, the goal is to find a job in your chosen field with decent compensation, benefits, and an enjoyable work environment. New PR pros often go the agency route to get their foot in the door and soak up as much experience as humanly possible.

After that first job or two, choosing a job gets a bit more sophisticated – at that point you’re at a critical turning point in your career that shapes your professional future. I’m currently happily employed in my second job, after happy employment at my first job, and have been lucky to land two fulfilling opportunities. With that said, I know the questions I would ask myself before accepting my next opportunity would be entirely different than those I asked in the past. Here are three things I would ask myself the third time around.

1. How does this role fit into my long-term vision for my career and life?

At a certain point, the ultimate goal of a job isn’t about getting you to the next job – it’s about getting you closer to your ultimate vision. A job should support your long-term professional AND personal development. It shouldn’t be shortsighted. Does this job offer the work-life balance you will need to fulfill personal goals? What about flexibility and the compensation or benefits needed to save for retirement or buy a house? Time off to support a side hustle? This is the time to understand what is most important to you, and find a job that supports you in that quest.

2. Do my values align with the values of management and my peers?

So important. The more your values and goals align with those of your team, the more motivated job-offer_lauren-legeryou will be to progress together. Carefully notice those who speak with you throughout the interview process. What kinds of questions are they asking? How do they treat you? What’s their body language? All of these things can provide insight into their values and work style. If you don’t feel like it’s a fit, it’s probably not, and you’ll likely run into roadblocks in the job as a result. Go with your gut impression of people and be sure to consider how it will affect your day to day at work. If you don’t consider values in the job search, you may find yourself working with people who are not likeminded, facing an uphill battle every day at work – not fun!

3. Is there an opportunity to contribute something big and make a real impact on the company?

If you’re like me, you quickly get bored doing your actual job as described in your job description. At this point, I’m looking for positions that give me flexibility to explore different areas of marketing, communication and business. This is something I didn’t realize I needed or liked, until I started at my current company. Although I was hired as a PR account executive, I started to become interested in social media and inbound marketing. I talked to our president and CEO about inbound, and she got super excited about it – so excited that she asked me to run with it, so we could offer it to our clients. I also ended up taking over social media work from our then manager of digital services. It turns out she was trying to move into a business development position, and was psyched that someone on our team had the passion and skill to take over for her.

Lesson learned – share your passions and just speak up and ask! Now my role is multifaceted, which can be hectic, but I wouldn’t trade it. I’ve learned so much in the past year, and more than anything, learned something about myself – I need to be constantly learning and challenging myself, and working hard to make a big impact on whatever company I’m a part of.

Managing your own career is a long-term process, but by asking yourself the right questions at the right stages of your career journey, you can ensure you’re setting yourself up for professional success and happiness at work.

lauren-leger

As digital account executive at The Power Group, Lauren creates custom digital strategies, crafts tailored social media content, and manages social media accounts on behalf of clients. She also leads Power’s inbound marketing efforts, and is certified by HubSpot Academy in Inbound Methodology. Lauren’s expertise is in B2B and technology. She started at Power in the fall of 2014 as an account executive, and manages select PR accounts. (Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn and Twitter)

Start, Stop, Continue: Developing Strategies for Success as a New Pro

Ashleigh Mavros Leave a comment

start-stop-continue

We’re two weeks into 2016, and PR pros are undoubtedly busy tackling the new year’s new campaigns and deadlines. Despite long to-do lists, the year’s beginning is also the perfect time for young public relations practitioners to assess their current performance and make a plan for professional development over the coming months.

The ”start, stop, continue” model offers an excellent blueprint for teams and individuals looking to identify strengths, weaknesses and areas for growth. Consider a few places where new pros can apply these principles in the new year:

START getting serious about social media

Young PR pros aren’t shy to boast their social media savvy, but is your knowledge beneficial in a business setting? Touting a strong Twitter following or high Klout score is unlikely to impress employers unless you can demonstrate the industry relevance of your influence.

Begin the new year by taking action to prove your social capabilities. Learn the ins and outs of pitching via social networks. Proactively engage with a key contact in your industry or tweet a journalist to let them know you enjoyed reading a recent piece they wrote. In short, be sure you’re taking steps to leverage Twitter and other social platforms as powerful professional networking tools.

STOP pointing out problems without a solution in mind

Offering feedback to company leadership can be one of the smartest career moves in the life of a young pro – or one of the worst. New professionals are able to offer fresh perspectives and bring to light issues that others have missed, but these efforts can backfire. Calling out the faults in your workplace without offering a potential solution will quickly earn you a reputation for complaining, a toxic trait in the eyes of managers.

In 2016, stop pointing out problems without having an alternative to offer. Even if your feedback isn’t implemented, the desire to improve your team or organization will be recognized. Instead of being seen as a critic, you’ll earn a reputation as an innovator and an advocate for your company’s continued success.

CONTINUE making strategic connections

In an era defined by always-on communications networks and a rapidly changing media landscape, PR pros who know how to build productive relationships will continue to prove their worth and find success.

Emails, calls and social media messages vying for journalists’ attention make it difficult for them to give every correspondence their full attention, but resourceful public relations professionals canstop-start-continue_square become an integral part of their network. However, this requires putting your immediate self-interest aside.

When you find a new journalist in your industry during the new year, introduce yourself and offer to meet for a few minutes (without pitching your client or company’s latest development in the next paragraph.) Take time to listen, ask questions and learn what they look for in a pitch. Then – and only then – offer opportunities for collaboration that may be a good fit.

When a journalist knows you respect their time and understand what they’re looking for, they’ll be receptive (even enthusiastic!) the next time they see your name in their inbox.

Of course, these are just a few things I’d like to start, stop, and continue this year. The list is far from complete, and this model can be applied widely to improve professional performance. What will your “start, stop, continue” list look like this year? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Derek

Derek Byrne is a New York-based public relations professional at Development Counsellors International and a 2015 graduate of Baylor University. Get in touch with Derek via LinkedIn or on Twitter (@Derek_Byrne).