Work Life

With the mainstream media laser-focused on election coverage, how should communicators be spending their time? We asked PR professionals how they’re managing the lack of status quo externally and internally. Here’s what they told us.

Guitarist Eddie Van Halen, who died Oct. 6, was not only a guitar virtuoso, he augmented his talent with a knack for adapting to trends and audiences, though remaining true to his brand. Moreover, he was not content to rest on his laurels and worked hard to acquire new skills. These are attributes common to good communicators.

Media relations guru and PR coach Michael Smart discusses a terrific lesson for communicators from Disney executive chairman Bob Iger’s autobiography. Smart says the relationship between Disney’s top communicator Zenia Mucha and Iger, which is based on honesty, sometimes brutal honesty, is the model we need to emulate.

The US armed forces have a proud PR tradition. A look at its history shows that the services nearly abandoned PR. A panel discussion at the Museum of PR later this month will look at military PR and public affairs past and present.

The City of Toronto’s CCO Brad Ross argues communicators have done a good job relaying vital messages about the pandemic. As people are tiring of safety measures and we face a second wave, this is not the time to take a break. Do not let this long crisis, and its critics, cause you to question the effectiveness of your work

Mentors can provide PR pros with a closer insight into the career path that lies in front of them. Without mentors, communicators can feel like they are lost in the woods without a map, trying to navigate their next turn. Mentors can offer the clarity they seek.  

As PR pros celebrate Ethics in Communication month, PRSA’s chair Garland Stansell urges communicators to redouble their effort to always do the right thing. Advocating for truth and responsibility is a key, if not the key, element of a communicator’s daily role, he writes.

In the latest article in this series with the Institute for PR, veteran communicator Geoff Curtis discusses how a three-day off-site helped change his life. 10 years later, he’s still applying the lessons he learned during the off-site as he continues on a journey toward self-awareness.

With so many companies deciding to stay with virtual work arrangements, what you used to budget for office costs/overhead now is available for other uses. How should communicators spend this new-found money? Our author, a veteran of remote work, has several ideas.

Whether you are a veteran PR professional, or relatively new to the industry, your resume can tell a story of not only your experience, but who you are as an employee and teammate. The key is to scrutinize the words used, as well as provide the reader with an easy, organized experience. Recruiters and hiring managers can tell if you create a resume with a half-hearted effort.