Six years ago, I walked into my first Public Relations (PR) job fresh out of NYSC, with a degree in History and Strategic Studies and excitement that I got a job right after my passing out parade. Armed with no knowledge about how the PR industry works and only my ability to talk smart, I was hoping to just give it my best and survive the new terrain of paid employment.
As someone who up until that point had survived life by just going with the flow, I had failed to realize that the working world is not a movie. It takes a LOT of resilience and hard work to excel. My resume, my education and all the achievement I reeled out during the interview process had only helped me get my foot in the door. Now, keeping the job was a different ball game and I needed to reflect to know if I was prepared for what was about to hit me.
First, let me clarify what PR really is. No, it is not advertising. No, it is not just writing and issuing press releases. No, it is not only about attending events and taking photos with socialites. No, it’s not just about understanding communication trends. The broad definition according to PRCA is, “the way organisations communicate with the public, promote themselves, and build a positive reputation and public image.”
Whether you are employed by a PR agency working on multiple accounts or representing an individual or an organisation, what you are doing is not just building brand awareness. You are strategically building the reputation, credibility, and trust for the client you manage.
My first year in PR was as dramatic as the industry itself. There was not a day of the week that you could not find me multitasking. This was a shocker because I was only an intern and the only intern out of three without a background in marketing communications – I really must have wowed them in that interview.
It looked like it was overwhelming but it really wasn’t. To survive, and more importantly thrive, I had a boss that was dedicated to my growth and his advice was, “you have to just dive in and learn as you go. That is, learn as much as you can, put in the work, and don’t shy away from asking questions.” Today, those words resonate with me.
Glamour is only a small part of the business.
I have met so many people who choose PR as a career with the hopes of meeting celebrities all day. Unfortunately for them, PR isn’t just one big party. This isn’t your typical 9-to-5 job, especially as the public opinion of your client is subject to change at the slightest provocation (Do Twitter people ever sleep?). So be ready to trade some of that Showmax-and-chill time for conversations with the media about a breaking news event. In PR, we put in long hours for that one moment in the spotlight when our client is recognised and acknowledged.
You will also need to stay abreast of trends and be on the lookout for opportunities for your client. I often liken this to Lawyers who even after law school are fixated on only having white and black outfits.
You need to be able to persuade people.
You will spend quite a huge amount of time brainstorming and researching that one perfect idea – an opportunity to showcase your client’s work to the world. Then the time to present your ideas will come. Even if your idea is a fantastic one, influencing others to adopt it is the real deal. You need to convince people — whether it is your colleague giving you the green light, your client saying yes to a pitch, or an audience whose buy-in you require — that your idea has potential.
In my first couple of months, I hardly spoke during client meetings or internal brainstorming sessions not for a lack of confidence but because I feared my ideas might be rejected or that I would say something stupid.
The one thing I have learnt about influence is that to cultivate trust, you need to be honest and consistent. It is quite easy to get swayed in the early stages of your career when there is so much pressure and impostor syndrome rears its ugly head. However, it is important to build that foundation of trust and respect by presenting ideas backed by facts and research. Keeping the long game in mind, you need to have a good reputation if you want to get the best of your clients.
Being an extrovert or introvert doesn’t actually matter.
PR professionals in popular notions and movies are showcased as the ultimate extroverts. Many people that know me would describe me as an extrovert. However, I often times struggle with small talk and can be generally awkward when meeting people for the first time.
Extroverts are great at networking and may find it easier to influence people because of their inherent nature, but many clients prefer introverts with the hope that they listen intently, really understand what they are asking for, and deliver a great idea. Anyway, in my opinion, an ideal team should have both for balance.
Nothing says success like results.
While you might be smart, creative, and put a lot of effort into everything you do, in the end, if you don’t get the desired outcomes, it is all irrelevant. When you are new you won’t always know how to get the work done well, and you may feel like you’re not achieving the results you want and this is true in any industry. I have learnt that it is okay to ask for help when you are struggling because getting results is the signpost of success.
So do you think PR is right for you? If you are willing to improve your communication skills, work in a fast-paced, ever-changing landscape, and learn new things every other day, the PR industry could be an exciting space to work in. It might not be easy at first, but if you are willing to learn from your mistakes, and dive right in, there will be no shortage of opportunities for you to be great at PR.
Lola Erogunaye is a PR & Comms Adviser at ID Africa.