– Erin Mitchell (originally posted Sep 27 2018)
I recently celebrated an exciting career milestone – five years of working at Wrights.
My work anniversary has given me an opportunity to reflect on my time at Wrights; my achievements, experiences, and the challenges I’ve overcome; and, ultimately what I’ve learnt and can share with others about working in the PR industry.
Honesty is the best policy
If there is one thing that can help you build a solid reputation, it’s being honest. If there’s one thing that can destroy it, it’s being caught in a lie. Credibility in PR is a major asset. Always be transparent to your colleagues, the media and especially your clients. If you do make a mistake – own it. Everyone makes mistakes, and admitting you’re flawed is a way to earn the respect of others and form connections with the people you work with. Telling the truth also means you have nothing to fear or hide from, and helps build respect and longevity, which is invaluable in the PR industry.
Team work makes the dream work
In my role at Wrights, I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside some great people, and have always found that the best work is produced when we come together as a team. Being in a creative industry, team work fosters a constant flow of creative ideas and opportunities to collaborate. It also helps everyone remain accountable, as you rely on each other to stay motivated, meet deadlines and achieve desired outcomes. And most importantly, you ride the highs and lows together. If something isn’t working, you work together to come up with a solution and celebrate every success as a team success.
Things don’t always go to plan
No matter how prepared you think you are, I’ve discovered that sometimes things are bound to happen that are beyond your control. A spokesperson can pull out, media interviews fall through, announcements are postponed, campaign objectives change, deadlines are missed, a venue falls through and even the weather can put a stop to your plans! The most successful PR people are those who can adapt and be flexible in any situation and remain cool in a crisis.
Relationships are key
If you’re in the PR business, then you’re in the business of relationships. The relationships you build with your team, your clients, your suppliers and your media contacts are critical to your success in the industry. Relationships are built on trust and respect, which takes a high degree of diligence, knowledge and strong communication. It’s about making an effort to understand what people want, and then going above and beyond to deliver it. Not only will it make you a reliable and indispensable resource, but you can also count on your relationships to help you out when you need them most.
Never stop learning
The PR industry is constantly evolving, and as a PR professional it’s part of your job to be aware of what’s happening in the industry and emerging trends in order to stay relevant and provide these skills and insights to your clients. Not only is this beneficial to you as a professional, but also to your workplace. Agency life is competitive and relevancy is key to staying on top of the game. Continue to challenge yourself, to ask questions and embrace constructive criticism, as it will allow you to learn and develop professionally.
