If you choose to work in Public Relations, similar to advertising and other agency based careers, PR often involves a varied and fast paced work environment. However, by equipping yourself with these skills, you can ensure that you become the PR practitioner that everyone is talking about.

Creativity

If you’re going to think of unique ways to appeal to people and capture the attention of the media, then you need to have creative ideas. We know that this is often easier said than done, clients often request ‘new’ and innovative ideas, without specifically knowing what they want. If you find that you are creatively stuck and cannot seem to find a solution, do not worry. Instead, take a break and do things that inspire you. Even small differences such as taking a new route home can spark creativity. Research and brain storming is also very useful in coming up with unique and effective ideas.

Time Management

In an PR agency, it is rare case that you will be assigned to just one client. In many agencies, it is far more common to be responsible for multiple organisations. Effective time management is necessary in order to know how much time to dedicate to each client. This can vary, dependent on what sort of PR the client requires and how much the account is worth. It simply isn’t cost effective to spend an entire work day on just one client, so improve time management, track your time spent on activities or planning for clients in a diary.

Communication

Whether liaising with clients or writing press releases; from tweets, to speeches, to events, communication is vital for success in PR. In written communication, enticing, persuasive language captures the attention of your audience and can cut through the noise of other messages. Spoken communication is also a necessary skill that is used in speeches and with interacting with clients, to convince them that you are a confident communicator.

Adaptability

In PR no two days of work are alike. On Monday you may be hosting an event, on Tuesday you could be writing press releases and on Wednesday, hosting a photo shoot. To succeed in PR you need to be ready to get stuck into whatever is required to deliver a successful campaign. It is also important to be up to date with local, national and international news, so that you understand what is happening in the world today and whether it effects a publics opinion, or an organisations reputation.

Coping Under Pressure

With working in an agency environment and with clients, it comes with real time deadlines. In order to run events, press releases product launches, time restricted deadlines must be met. You simply cannot say that you are holding a public event on June 30th, only to say on that day that it isn’t ready (You’ll get negative press if you do so). If you want to work in PR, it is crucial that you stay organised and remind yourself of upcoming deadlines, to avoid stress. However, in an agency, you are part of a team, so never feel afraid to reach out for help.