With schools able to launch a wave of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed new graduates onto the job market and extra seasoned professionals able to make strikes to extend their revenue and general happiness, it’s an excellent time to speak about hiring.
Clearly what any given group and hiring supervisor needs is particular person. However there are some broad traits we will take a look at. So we at PR Day by day took to LinkedIn to ask PR professionals to share the one factor they most search for whereas they’re hiring.
Nearly throughout the board, managers didn’t converse to particular expertise. It wasn’t a capability to make use of a media database or a fats rolodex that bought them excited. No, these hiring managers need intangible character traits that may’t be taught — however could be inspired to blossom.
Listed here are some responses, flippantly edited for model and readability.
Cross-departmental relationship expertise. The razzle and dazzle of the ultimate product is nice, however individuals are on the heart of our sort of work. The messaging, advertising and marketing, even the metrics: all tie again to individuals throughout all the group.
—Sheila Fortson, director of Company & ESG Communications and INSIGHTS Video Version host, NCCI
The flexibility to consider that one thing could be higher, together with themselves. I’m focused on working with individuals that may be with the corporate for greater than the job we’re filling at present. In our enterprise, you can not simply rent superstars. You additionally must create and develop them.
—Katie Huang Shin, president of Large Valley Advertising and marketing
Vitality. Every part else could be taught and learnt however whenever you discover somebody with bucket a great deal of power, they’re those to go for. It powers how onerous they work, how a lot they’ll have the ability to ship and likewise radiates to shoppers, so is a should for PR.
—Julia Linehan, founder and CEO of The Digital Voice
Polished writing. Not simply in your cowl letter and clips, but additionally in your on a regular basis emails — to your recruiter, to your hiring supervisor, to anybody else you interviewed with. In the event you haven’t mastered the artwork and science of e-mail etiquette, then you definitely haven’t thought onerous sufficient about what PR means.
—Jonathan Rick, ghostwriter
I search for downside solvers — individuals who can suppose creatively to get a message throughout or run a marketing campaign, it doesn’t matter what hurdles pop up. That features placing within the work to search out and pitch the precise journalist for every story, or determining how one can run a profitable occasion on a shoestring funds when a speaker drops out final minute.
—Mandy Menaker, member of PR Day by day Advisory Board
PR candidates at each stage ought to have the ability to converse to their influences. Not influenc_ers_. We’re speaking about influenc_es_. And never the plain Apple/Nike/Google ones, however particular campaigns from challenger manufacturers that frequently open their eyes to the facility of the career and reveal how passionately they concentrate.
—Adam Ritchie, principal, Adam Ritchie Model Design
Adaptability, self-awareness, empathy, initiative-taking, sturdy writing capability (or at the least sturdy potential for it), ethical compass, humorousness.
Bonus for prior political marketing campaign or newsroom expertise as a result of it exhibits versatility, ambition, love of quick tempo and “profitable” but additionally the significance of being humble.
—Jeremy Tunis, senior advisor, Public Affairs, Group Relations, Communications at Miramont Behavioral Well being
Tenacity. It fosters a tradition of steady enchancment, the place staff are at all times striving to do higher. Plus, it permits individuals to take initiative and be proactive in figuring out consumer challenges.
—Carrie Jones, CEO at JPA Well being
Curiosity is at all times on the high of my listing. With a purpose to achieve success in comms, it is advisable to be deeply motivated to wrap your head across the firm from each angle, each vantage level, each nook and cranny. And to be pushed sufficient to ask all of the questions, particularly the robust ones.
—Allison Hoffman, head of communications at Wheel
I search for candidates who’ve equal elements ambition/drive in addition to low ego. PR hiring managers are at all times in search of of us who’ve the fundamental ability set (sturdy writing expertise, time administration, strategic considering). These are desk stakes. What’s extra necessary, in my opinion, is to know the particular person you’re hiring has the drive to need to achieve success of their profession but additionally the humility to have a learner’s mindset and to method the position as if no process is simply too small. Within the fast-paced world of comms and social media, we put on a number of totally different hats and it is advisable to make sure the individuals you rent are prepared to leap in at any stage.
Caty Bleyleben, communications advisor at CMAND
I’m actually insistent on hiring individuals of integrity who will make moral selections. I can educate you almost every thing else it is advisable to know to achieve success on this work, however I don’t suppose I can educate you how one can act with integrity. I can’t educate you to behave ethically. However I promise you, when you end up working with somebody who lacks integrity or acts unethically, ultimately they’ll decide that damages your repute or that of your shoppers.
—John Taylor, founder & principal, White Oak Communications
If I’m interviewing somebody for a PR or exterior comms or social media position they usually can’t listing the information websites they comply with or learn every day that may be a deal breaker for me. There are different {qualifications} I search for, but when they’re genuinely focused on information and traits, their different attributes don’t matter.
—Sarah Kisko Hersh, govt vp, Percepture
Initiative. I’ve little interest in micromanaging anybody, so individuals who can suppose are an actual bonus. I consider you possibly can educate the talents of PR however that capability to suppose broadly off your individual again is a tough one to teach.
—Francesca Baker, senior public relations marketing consultant, Your Story PR
What would you add to the listing?
Allison Carter is govt editor of PR Day by day. Observe her on Twitter or LinkedIn.
