Working in public relations can be a rewarding career that offers plenty of room for growth and development. How can you improve your chances of success though? When it comes to being promoted, are there any strategies that you can use to work your way up the PR career ladder? The good news is that there is plenty that you can do to further your chances of corporate advancement. If you’re keen on grabbing that future promotion, here are some of the top tips to help you out.
Find a Mentor
Working closely with those more experienced and more qualified than you can help in various ways.
- You’ll form relationships with those who decide your fate in the company
- You’ll learn new PR skills through their expertise, skills and knowledge
Look to those above you in the department – your team leader or account director – and form close bonds with them. You can also try and contact relevant experts in the business, following them and picking up new skills and opportunities along the way. Some businesses even get companies like fhinsights.com to help employers and employees excel in their job roles, so considering this is also an important action to take. As you can see, bonding with the top PR professionals can help progress you in the industry. Make the effort, go out and network, and reap the rewards of being in touch with the best of the best in the public relations field.
Work on Important Projects
Instead of sticking within your comfort zone, it is also important to take on projects that are challenging. Not only will this stimulate you to succeed at work, but your superiors will recognise your motivation as well as your talent when it comes to tackling difficult scenarios and producing amazing results. Keep an eye out for new opportunities within the workplace and step forward as soon as something comes up. This added motivation will highlight you as a potential candidate for any promotions that emerge in the future.
Enrol in a PR Course
Of course, it always helps to seek out knowledge in as many places as possible. For this reason, you should look for a local corporate training institute that has classes in the relevant PR areas. It is also recommended that you talk to your supervisor about enrolling the team in public relations courses on campaign management, event organisation, corporate social responsibility and the like. This means that you can learn about all of these topics and many more, giving you added knowledge that you can use to improve your performance in the workplace. An internal promotional will surely be a step or two away after that.
Identify Your Responsibilities
If you have been given some sort of leadership role, you’ll need to realise that your responsibilities will have changed as a result. No longer will you have to fill out media lists or notify the relevant organisations. Instead, you’ll need to focus on other areas such as:
- Guiding the strategy for media lists and broadcast outlets
- Proofread and check all final pitches written by the team
- Advise your subordinates about how to improve their outputs
All of this will now fall upon you as someone in a higher position. Remember that you will have to cope with this high level decision making in the PR field if you wish to continue your way up the corporate ladder. Furthermore, the careers of those below you will also depend on your efforts, making it even more imperative that you work to your utmost potential in this leadership position.
Focus on the Long Term
Despite the difficulties, you should push forward and focus on your long-term strategies. If you wish to get promoted again and again, you may have to acknowledge the fact that you’ll eventually land a leadership role. Once there, look at the bigger picture. Figure out how your actions will benefit yourself and those below you. Look for a way to assist your team members in their goals while working on your own career aims at the same time. Think outside the box, focus on the entire picture, and gain the opportunity to develop yourself and your subordinates simultaneously. Take extra responsibilities wherever you can, and additionally, you can enroll in some learner groups similar to International Professional Corporate Training, Hansen Beck to enhance your reputation in the corporate world.
With this advice, you are now ready to work your way up the public relations career ladder. The right combination of determination, knowledge and planning can certainly lead to amazing results.
About the Author:
With more than 70 short courses available, London Corporate Training (LCT) is a leading provider of management training programmes. They offer sales, operations management, and public relations courses.
