As a junior Public Relations professional, an up and comer, the new kid on the block – whatever you’d like to call me, I’ve thrown myself at full speed into a world of press releases, abstract acronyms, marketing talk and social media madness. What was I thinking those three years ago when I decided to embark upon a journey to obtain my professional communication degree? I guess I saw something promising. Amongst the piles of paperwork and bothersome budgets, I saw a career path that could take me through times of uncertainty.
Stability through flexibility
A career in communications is open and flexible. The industry is constantly changing and new concepts emerging. Perhaps this is what appealed to me most, that sense of endless possibilities in numerous communication sectors. Not-for-profit, commercial, government, all have different offerings and all have their times of uncertainty. But one commonality remains true across all, they all must be versatile.
Public relations is multifaceted, not one dimensional, it has to be in order to survive the turmoil of tough economic times. Clients may stumble, budgets may fall, but a having a solid grasp of interpersonal skills, being resilient and flexible, will pull you over the line.
Be on top on top of your game
Surviving the ups and downs of communications requires you to be proactive. Be aware of your changing environment and more importantly learn to adapt to these changes. Staying in touch with and remaining aware is easy in a world that lives and breathes social media. There’s no excuse not to be tweeting, posting or linking. It is these platforms that connect us to a changing world. They keep us on our toes. If a government department changes leadership, make sure you’re following the new leader on Twitter. If portfolios are dropped or new ones created, make sure you’re aware with how this might affect your organisation. Simple really.
