True Calling

Poking around some online PR sources, I found this gem: “53 signs you work in public relations.”

I see this not only as a glimpse into my future, but a checklist of things I should either be doing now, or learning to do. Here are a few of my favorites…

4. You constantly engage in “PR is dead” and “the press release doesn’t have a place in business” arguments.

I’m not sure HOW a press release would be irrelevant to a business’s plan. What would business owners do without PR? Would they just hire advertisers or marketing professionals? One can’t just cut out the medium between the people (stakeholders) and the company. PR…represent!

10. You know more about AP style than Microsoft Office. Because of this, you’re a regular in the IT department.

It is time for a confession. I am so very happy that AP style was so passionately engrained in our brains.

11. You proudly put “PR pro” in your Twitter bio, knowing it’s the one place you don’t have to explain your job.

I love this. Sometimes I feel like I’m being punished for choosing a career path that’s so specific. “What do you plan on doing with that when you graduate?” UGH. I plan on knowing exactly where to apply and marketing my specific skillset to anybody willing enough to pay me. What about you, business majors?

26. You check HootSuite in the morning before you get out of bed just to monitor what has been said about your clients overnight. (Source)

This is great advice! Always stay in the loop, especially when it pertains directly to your client. Nothing worse than saying, “wait, what happened?”

29. You're afraid to go more than 15 minutes (max) without checking Twitter/Facebook/news feeds to make sure you're not missing anything. (Source)

Being raised in the information age has been pretty beneficial. PR aside, I don’t know anyone my age who isn’t glued to their smartphones. We want to know what’s going on, with who and when it will happen. If only we could all take that awareness and apply it to current events which is my weakness.

45. Post-it notes are your lifeblood. (Source)

They are lifesavers; perfect for quick thoughts, ideas and anything else that deserves a scribble or two. Plus, you can stick them anywhere.

53. Something really bad happens and you're the first to announce, "We don't have problems; we have opportunities." (Source)

Problems and opportunities: the first category when analyzing any case. Instead of dwelling on the crisis, figure out how to deal with it and how to turn it into something beneficial.