How to plan your PR career

How to grow at work? How to make more money? How to make sure your PR career is on the right path. PRmoment India spoke to the 30 and under gang for how they view their career plan.

Ekta Gautam, 28, corporate communications, FlipKart, Bengaluru

Main challenges in a PR job: Learning from the right mentor

“Since public relations and marketing communications is not a text book profession unlike more technical jobs, learning from your own and someone else’s experience is so very critical. Thus it is really important to have the right mentor and guide. And, getting the right mentor is a major challenge many a times.”

Moving your career forward: It’s the opportunity that matter!

“In our line of work, growth and learning can only happen with ‘experience’. I am continuously seeking new opportunities and challenges within the ambit of public relations and marketing communications to test my capabilities.”  While having the right mentor is very critical, equally important is seeking and getting new opportunities to test one’s learning. What good is learning, if one does not get the opportunity to test new skills and learning!

Gandhali Sane, 28, Consulting Associate- Genesis Burson-Marsteller, Mumbai

Main challenges in a PR job: Growth and time with family

Growth within the job

“Once you have assessed the skills required to move up the ladder and simultaneously working towards learning those skills but lack growth within the current job this brings a huge setback in your career planning.”

Lack of structured career planning in PR impacts social pursuits and family

“With the growing pressure and demands from brands it becomes a tad bit difficult to put a structure to your career planning and you are forced to put social pursuits and family time on the back burner.”

Make like Usain Bolt to race ahead in PR!

Acquiring the skills to be a roadrunner!
“All PR practitioners today are handling tasks at lightning speed, however we need to increase the current speed levels drastically. Happenings around the world are documented on social media in real time. So, in this regard we have to activate our actions quickly with accuracy but actions that are relevant to the target audience to garner better results.”

Opportunities to work at new PR matter the most

“What would really work to help me grow at work would be more and more opportunities to function beyond the traditional PR approach that most of us in the PR industry adopt. Brands these days are going digital yet we grapple or are apprehensive to adapt newer technologies and new mediums of communication.”

Naeem Shaikh, 29, Account Manager, Gecko Worldwide, Mumbai

Main challenges at PR

“Nothing worth having comes that easy. Networking which is pretty much the core concept of PR was a little tough for me initially. I wasn't entirely an extrovert, so socializing on a regular basis is a skill I developed eventually. Gradually, I somewhat excelled at it. Now my circle of friends comprises of people from all walks of life and that comes quite handy often in my life as a PR Manager.

How to climb the career ladder: Stay up to date! 

“PR is an extremely competitive arena. So, keeping yourself updated with everything you can is the only way you can be successful. I try and keep up with the general trends. And by that, I don't just mean news and PR, from fashion to tech to sport, I keep track of pretty much everything. Because it's only when you know what's going on around you that you can come up with great plan of action.”

Go Digital

“The second formula to climb the career ladder is even simpler, yet super complicated. Go digital! Being omnipresent all over social media is great source of information. Plus, I make it a point to be familiar new technologies and software being launched. From letters we have come to WhatsApp groups. You need to keep up with the pace.”

Information sharing.

“One needs to discuss about his activities with the rest of his team and not just to be updated. Brilliant ideas come to you when there's flow of information. Mentoring is another factor. PR industry is evolving quicker than you think, so sharing your experiences and insights to the younger lot also teaches you a lesson or two. From classic to trendy, you need to know all.”