4 answers
Andrew’s Answer
wang’s Answer
Robert (Rob)’s Answer
Tamiya,
The good news, and the bad news, is that "Public Relations" is a very broad term that means different things to different people depending on the area in which you choose to focus. Doing PR for a consumer brand is very different than doing PR for a company that sells enterprise technology to other companies. Yes, it's "all PR" but what's important to each organization can be vastly different.
At the same time, there are some key qualities that will serve you well no matter which path you choose:
Be a good listener: Only through excellent listening skills will you be able to really understand the fundamentals of the story you want to tell.
Be a strong advocate: Be prepared to defend your counsel and be able to articulate why you're making the recommendations you're making.
Be flexible: There's an old adage - "Man plans, God laughs." You're always going to be thrown curveballs. Know when to abandon the plan based on how the situation is unfolding ahead of you.
Know how to pick your battles: A former CEO of mine used to tell me that you can be right, and you can be dead right. Never be dead right. Don't get so focused on what you believe to be right that you lose sight of the big picture. The strategy you recommend may be the "right" one - but it might not be right for the situation. Learn how to tell the difference and adapt accordingly.
Have fun: Despite our own delusions of grandeur, PR people are not saving the world. Take your career seriously, but don't forget to have a little bit of fun.
Barb’s Answer
Research skills
Writing skills
International mindset
Creativity
Flexiblity
It is an ever-changing field and the subject matter always has a "use by" date. You have to be agile and willing to turn on a dime. I hope this helped. Good luck with your career.
Cheers,
Barb