As the summer comes to a close and the end of my internship at WordWrite nears, I’ve been able to look back on the work I’ve done and the people with whom I’ve been fortunate enough to work. After three months of learning and applying new skills, here are the top three that I find necessary when working at an agency.
Skill #1: Writing
First and foremost, writing is absolutely the most important skill for this kind of work. I can’t stress it enough. When you ask a PR pro what they do all day, the answer is write, write and write some more. Works range from blog posts to social media posts to press materials to story pitches and everything in between.
If you’re writing isn’t quite up to snuff, don’t fret. Practice! Writing is one of those skills that grows in direct correlation to the amount of hours spent just doing it. WordWrite President & CEO Paul Furiga recently published his 28 Day Training Plan to Make You A Better Writer, which serves as a good skill-building exercise for anyone looking to enhance their abilities. Give it a try.
Skill #2: Relating to People
Here at WordWrite, we believe in storytelling and sharing the authenticity of our clients’ great,
untold stories. Connecting with these people and making sure that we can listen hard enough to their background is what allows us to produce their storytelling materials.
Find some kind of connection in someone else’s story. What part of it makes you excited? Which part can you relate to your own life? This is important because you are essentially sharing a story that doesn’t involve you. You’ve got to be able to tell it with the same passion and charisma as the clients would themselves. Finding a personal touch allows you to deliver that excitement.
Skill#3: Time Management
Time management is a life skill that you should master regardless of what profession you choose. But when working in a public relations agency, it’s especially important to be able to stay on top of your work. Sometimes the to-do list seems to grow faster than you can check things off.
Keeping priorities in mind is a good way to help stay on track. If there is client work to be done, then that’s what takes priority. And keep track of the hours you’re spending on each project. You’ll be doing this anyway to maintain billable hours, but it will also push you to efficiently use your time and make sure your deadline is met on time or even early.
For anyone considering the field of public relations, be sure to keep these three skills in your tool belt and always sharp. Think of these as the foundation to your skill set. Without nailing these ones down first, it will be difficult to build on that shaky footing. Be sure to have a strong base of skills so that you can tackle new projects and learn while doing it. Times change and new technologies come and go, but these three proficiencies never go out of style.
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Kyle McClure is an intern for WordWrite Communications. You can find him on Twitter @kylmcclr.
