It takes all sorts

Looking around the office, it’s clear that there is not just one PR ‘type’. Gone are the days when PR’s were all tarred with the same schmoozing brush, written off as media luvvies who enjoy nothing more than a liquid lunch (Absolutely Fabulous still has a LOT to answer for, darling).

This point has really hit home this month as WPR supported the student work placement enterprise, B-Hive, for a second year and as we began interviews for a graduate / junior account exec to join the ranks. When judging the finalists for the former, I found different potential in each hopeful vying to be crowned the PR winner. They all had different qualities, presentation styles and ideas which made it hard to compare them. All the judges had a different take or different criteria to measure them up against and what would be right for one agency wouldn’t necessarily suit another.

The same thing stands true for each interviewee we’ve seen. Different styles, different skills and different personalities. Now, I can argue for or against anything – for example, lack of direct PR experience could be seen as a negative yet the same person could offer exceptional writing skills. And that’s the trouble with just being able to pick one person. They need to offer the best mix for that agency, whilst having the kind of personality that would suit both prospective clients and the day to day team they will work with. All this from an interview? Nothing like high expectations.

In reality, sometimes the right person just comes along, but whether this is the case or not, whoever you choose, we all know only time will tell. It’s important that agencies don’t just employ the same kind of person over and over (we all like people like us but having a whole team of mini me’s is far from ideal). Every agency is different, so is every client and every employee can bring something different to the table.

PR is a profession where it really does take all sorts. The ones who like coming up with the big ideas and the ones who need to plan every detail with military precision. For those looking to get into the profession, the best thing you can do is be yourself (cliché but it’s true). PR people can often be the worst at their own PR but to really stand out at an interview or at a pitch, you need to play to your own strengths. Remember, ‘people buy people first’ so make sure you’re ready to sell yourself. Your experience or ideas will do the rest.

Can You Be Right For PR in 5 Questions?

When PR Moment posted their blog yesterday ‘Am I Right for PR?’ with the opportunity to find out in just five questions, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the offer of a short questionnaire that promised to unveil whether I had correctly identified my calling or not.

After a few moments, I found my curiosity turning to impatience as I waited for the blog to address key career objectives prospective PRs should have in their sights (a fascination with communications, skills in writing and multi-tasking, a passion for the media both on and offline) but, the blog failed to mention any of this.

Instead it gave graduates the option to state whether they read the front page of a paper, celebrity gossip section or got straight down to completing the day’s puzzles. It seems to me (and everyone sitting near me) that everyone is drawn to the front page of a paper as it seems nonsensical to skip straight in without knowing what the day’s top story is (unless you’re an avid sports fan keen to find out the previous night’s score which will inevitably take you to the back page).

This struck me as a question that didn’t really have an answer – for grads looking to get into PR an interest in the media overall is key from the FT and Guardian Tech section to the Sunday Times’ Weekend supplement and Marketing Week. It doesn’t really matter where you’re looking or what you’re interested as long as you’re looking in all the right places.

Another aspect of the questionnaire I didn’t agree with was the decision to include multiple choice answers – this is incredibly restricting and as shown from the above answer often leaves crucial gaps where the real answer lies.

As a response to the original 5 PR questions I had a think and pulled together a list of what I feel to be five of the most important questions I would look to ask someone considering a career in PR.

Please let me know your thoughts and feel free to add in any you feel hold weight. Hopefully next year when the PRCA look for a test for their Frontline Guide, they’ll be able to include some questions with answers that matter.

5 Questions For Those Interested In PR

Do you find yourself drawn to a variety of media and news stories? If so, where do you gather your news and what do you enjoy to read about the most?

When working on a project, do you boast a range of organisational skills from planning and preparing timelines to evaluation and reporting? If so, list one example where your organisational skills came into play.

Are you fascinated by communication? Do you find yourself able to adapt your tone and writing to a variety of styles from informative and interesting to persuasive and promoting? If so give us two examples below of your own written text differing in tone.

Do you feel you have transferrable skills that would assist in client and team management? If so list three skills and why they would help lead and develop.

Are you able to think ahead as to how activities or a plan would be developed long term? Please give us an example of an idea that could be developed over a period of six months.

Do

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