The Ten Things They Didn’t Tell You in Your Communications Classes

 
by Fred Whiting, APR 

 
(Editor’s note: PRSA-NCC Vice President Fred Whiting spoke to the PRSSA Regional Conference at American University on March 1, 2008, which attracted PRSSA members from as far away as Boston and Chicago.  Whiting, who has taught public relations courses to undergraduates at the University of Maryland and adults at George Washington University’s Center for Professional Development, attempted to give the group some insights into the public relations industry.  Most of the students said they plan to go into PR anyway!) 

1. Finding your first job won’t be easy.  The field of communications is very competitive in the Nation’s Capital.  Most companies want to hire the best talent available.  They want bright and eager employees who are willing to meld into the corporate environment.  At the same time, they want entry-level employees to show initiative.  So keep in mind that your first responsibility is to listen and learn.  Try to find someone in the company to be your mentor to help you avoid the minefields. 

2. Fortunately, you may find it easier to land a job than a “seasoned” PR practitioner in his or her 40s or 50s.  Budgets are tight these days and will get tighter as the economy gets worse.  Although the old expression is “last hired, first fired,” you have an advantage over your elder colleagues—you’re relatively inexpensive.  When you are asked what your salary expectations are, try to be reasonable.  Don’t expect to get a Vice President’s salary overnight. 

3. The business world is very different from the classroom.  Bosses can be demanding, and clients can be worse.  It’s good to develop a thick skin, because you’re going to need it.  You’ll make lots of mistakes at first.  Learn from them.  And don’t take criticism personally.  This is not about you.  It’s all about the organization or the client. 

4. Don’t be shy.  Many entry-level PR employees are afraid to speak up at meetings, lest they embarrass themselves.  However, the time will come when the meeting facilitator will turn to you and say, “How would YOU address this problem?”  Be ready with a well-considered answer.  And when the time feels right, speak up and add your voice to the conversation.  You’re not there to be a potted plant. 

5. Much of what you’ve learned in your communications classes is theoretical.  You’ve learned about the communication process, how messages are sent and received, and the fundamentals of media relations.  Theory is good—as a PR professor once said, “There’s nothing so practical as a good theory.”  But remember that your future colleagues who have been in the business for awhile may not have taken even one PR class.  They have learned what works through experience.  So they might not appreciate your knowledge of the theoretical underpinning of PR practice.  Apply your knowledge of PR theory to construct practical solutions to problems.  You are paid not just for what you do, but also for what you know. 

6. Take advantage of the many opportunities you will have to learn about how the public relations business works.  Don’t limit yourself.  If you’re intimidated by working with the media, then that’s exactly the thing you should volunteer to do.  Meeting planning?  Ask others what works best and take their advice.  Marketing?  Learn how PR and marketing can work effectively to improve the bottom line. 

7. Speaking of the bottom line, PR practitioners in agencies especially are encouraged to seek out and find new business.  At one agency where I worked, we were expected to bill 35 hours a week and find new business as well.  So, take every opportunity to look for new business opportunities.  Talk to your friends, to your friends’ friends, and to others that you meet.  Seek out prospective clients and find out what their communication needs are.  One way to develop the skill of business development is to offer to help those in the agency who pitch proposals to prospective clients.  Watch and observe what they do. 

8. When I worked at an agency, we used to say, “This would be a great business if it weren’t for the clients.”  The irony, of course, is that it is the clients who make our work possible.  Clients come in all sizes and shapes.  Most are clueless about communication.  They will rely on you to provide the best solution to their communications problem.  Others think they know what you’re supposed to do and don’t hesitate to tell you.  Take their guidance in stride.  If you disagree with the direction they’re taking, provide some reasonable alternatives.  But don’t get the reputation of being “difficult to work with,” or “not a team player.” 

9. Neither a borrower nor a lender be…no wait, that’s from another list.  But it does apply here.  Remember whom you’ve helped and more important, who has helped you.  Be quick to give the credit for success to others, and accept responsibility for failure when necessary. 

10. Finally, be true to yourself.  You’ve heard the expression, “Do the right thing.”  But in today’s environment, it’s often difficult to know what the “right thing” is.  Use the PRSA Code of Ethics as your guide.  Ultimately, however, your actions will be based on your own moral code.  If you rely on that, you’ll seldom go wrong. 

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