Public relations is a field like no other. It’s demanding, exciting, exhilarating, and always keeps professionals on their toes. From how you eat your lunch to your love affair with your phone, here are the top 8 signs you know you’re a tried and true public relations pro.
Your phone might as well be connected intravenously.
Phones are paramount to the work that PR professionals do. We’re connected to them nonstop, never far away from them even during vacations and holidays, and always have a backup charger (or four) handy just in case. From e-mails to conference calls to texts, life revolves around our ability to connect.
You speak in jargon. A lot.
Whether you’re looking to help a client make their measurement tactics more actionable or trying to synergize your team to optimize bandwidth, PR folk love their buzz words. From optimizing social networks in real-time to seamlessly sustaining a groundbreaking best practice, PR buzz is a language all its own.
When a public figure has a mishap, you immediately think about how you would handle it.
PR is often about putting a best foot forward, but sometimes it’s also about helping clients keep from putting their foot in their mouths. Whether it’s an illicit scandal or just a social misstep, PR pros are constant strategizers who are always ahead of the next crisis.
A deadline of two hours is considered ample time.
PR is a field that moves lightning fast. Moving at the speed of reporters’ deadlines and surfing ahead of the latest news break, PR professionals know how to think on their feet and get it done on time, every time. Deadlines? We defy them. No time crunch is impossible to beat.
You sometimes realize you forgot something… Lunch.
The client always comes first in PR, which means that many meals are eaten computer-side while simultaneously texting and listening in on a conference call. From speed walking in stilettos while holding hot coffee and a briefcase to balancing a bluetooth and GPS devices as you zoom to your next meeting, you’re better at juggling than the Cat in the Hat.
You’re an expert on some unusual topics.
When you land a new client, the relationship isn’t just “them” and “you” anymore. It’s “us.” That means that when it comes to knowing the ins and outs of the organic milk industry to mastering the vocabulary of the wind turbine biz, you’re an expert at becoming an expert in record time.
You check Google alerts. On weekends.
News is a force that never stops, and PR professionals can’t afford to detach for even a day. If you find yourself excusing yourself even during weekends to scroll down the latest news alerts, then you’re definitely in the game.
Great coverage is worth it all.
Great news coverage doesn’t just happen. It takes volumes of coordination and preparation worthy of an Olympic synchronized swimming competition. But when you land that one great story, it feels just like you’ve earned the gold.
Did you answer “yes” to the majority (if not all) of these signs? Have any others to add?