I know I haven't posted for a long time - but I didn't really have much to say. Except that I do have a new job. I'm the "Advertising Manager" in charge of TV/Radio advertising, newspaper and inserts and Public Relations. My quest lately has been to read as many books and as many articles on all of those subjects as possible. I'm especially interested in SEO and Social Media PR. I've found a lot of great blogs and websites that are helping, but I'm still on my quest to learn more HTML (I've taken one class, but never put it into practice) and coding as well as strategy. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. Like I said - this is more a quest than anything else. I recently read an article with 5 things to do to become indispensable as a PR rep, but I think it applies to much more than that. I've already failed to assert myself at least once at my job, and my goal is to never ever do that again.
- Read. Not only blogs, but news sites, industry publications, non-fiction and newspapers. Reading not only makes you smarter, it makes you a better writer.
- Ask. One of the lessons I’ve learned from attending industry events: Always ask at least one question. It transforms you from a passive attendee to an active participant. Which leads me to…
- Curiosity. I don’t know too many PR pros who aren’t curious. Not sure how you practice or learn this one–usually more of an innate quality. But, I wanted to convey how important it is to have an insatiable curiosity as a means to learning and expanding your world.
- Relationship. Everything we’re talking about here comes back to relationships. Business, projects, speaking opportunities, friends, learning opportunities and just about everything else positive that happens in your professional life can typically be traced back to personal relationships. Work hard to cultivate and develop these relationships and you will reap the rewards down the line. Such a key skill and concept for younger PR pros.
- Indispensable. Getting that first job is just the beginning. Once you walk in that front door, do everything in your power to be indispensable to your employer. Develop new skill sets. Go above and beyond. Volunteer for new projects. Whatever the case, if you can make yourself indispensable, you will never struggle for a job.
