In this, the second of a series of posts on aspects of working in public relations, Graham White, joint-managing director of leading Australia’s technology and business PR consultancy, Howorth, shares his views on what it takes to carve out a successful career in public relations.

Experience and literacy in social media, passion and an ability to take it on the chin are all attributes a public relations professional needs to cut through the competitive clutter of a career in PR, according to Graham White, who also emphasises the importance on attending to your ‘personal brand’.

In this post, Graham talks at length about the challenges and rewards of working in public relations, with an emphasis on life in an agency. It’s a less lonely option than working in-house, he suggests. Reading between the lines he seems to suggest that agency operatives need to be on their toes and ready to evolve, adapt and capitalise on opportunities more than their in-house cousins.

One dimension Graham didn’t discuss is the need to constantly generate new business when you work within the agency environment. Generating new business is hardly public relations, or is it? Thoughts on this and dealing with the triumphs and defeats are welcome.

What characteristics does it take to work in PR?

“PR can be fun but it can also be an intense and difficult job. That means one day it can be very rewarding, yet another disappointing. Having worked in this industry for many years, I know it is often misunderstood by many people outside the sector.

“To be a PR person, you need many different skills on both the technical side and on the softer human side. On the technical side the skills are broad: a good writer, a confident speaker, the ability to understand what’s news, a talent for capitalising on the news cycle, creative, able to turn ideas into action, etc.

“On the human side you have got to be very patient, friendly, confident, calm, able to take a few hits on the chin and not react, nerves of steel etc.”

What are employers looking for when hiring public relations professionals? What are the key technical skills (e.g. media relations) that experience is most highly valued in and what strategic mindsets are coveted?

“I think it will vary from employer to employer, depending on the role you are seeking. In many sectors like government, finance, technology, employee communication, you will need to have specialist skills and a passion for that sector. In fact, passion is critical.

“Media relations is key. That said, you need to be a good strategic thinker, be well organised, be tough (no room in this industry for yes people and popularity). It’s all about setting realistic expectations.

“You have got to think on your feet, able to pull a discussion into an action plan and turn conversations into crisp, meaningful messages.

“And now you have got to be a digital expert. Whether it’s social media, search, or using the web to engage directly with your stakeholders, you cannot afford to be ignoring this world. If you do, you will be irrelevant as a PR practitioner. It’s that simple.”

What skills, attributes, knowledge, attitude is needed for working in-house than in a PR agency and vice versa?

“I haven’t worked in-house in PR, so tough for me to say. However, I have worked with many talented in-house PR people and they display similar skills – great strategists, great planners, thoughtful, honest, tough counsel, can handle the internal politics, and the list goes on.

“I do feel it could be quite lonely on the inside, so I have for the moment, stuck to agency, where I am surrounded by like-minded people.

“In agency you have to be resilient, creative, able to multi-task almost all the time, quick in thought and quick in action. Be prepared to change your mind, be collaborative, be open-minded. I also believe we all have much to learn, regardless of our experience. A 22 year old graduate can have great ideas, so be inclusive, remove hierarchy. My motto is simple, “The more I listen the more I learn; the more I learn, the more I listen”.

What role does a PR professional’s presence in social media have in getting them a job? For instance, how important is it to have a good profile on LinkedIn? What value to a PR career is there is being engaged on Twitter? Does it give those who are more engaged an advantage?

“Your personal brand should always be attended to.

“Social media gives you the opportunity to reach people with more content and to a much broader audience. Personally, LinkedIn is the most important business social media tool. Facebook gives a sense of your personality and social networks and, for me, is more about the individual at play than the individual at work, although increasingly the lines get blurred. Twitter is a great business tool, too.

“At the end of the day, what you put in you will get out.

“Use the tools smartly and in the manner they were designed, and it can be very rewarding and advantageous, especially if you are looking for work.

“We look at applicants’ social media profiles when recruiting, not necessarily to see what they have been up to (although for a cultural fit, this can be useful), but also to see if they are social media users, as that bodes well for their ability to think about social media in our clients’ communications programs.”

You say LinkedIn is the most important social media business tool. Would you mind explaining what the benefits to business are of LinkedIn?

“Its importance as a business tool is largely due to its size (it has 60 million members globally and in Australia the membership base has now passed the one million mark). That’s a big community within which you can network and connect with.

“For those involved in B2B transactions, this community clearly provides a platform within which you can connect with people that may share a similar passion or interest, or you can tap into people’s opinions on a broad range of topics and issues. But like most tools, it’s only as good as the effort you put into it. That means you need to ensure your personal profile is up to date, which will ensure great visibility in searches by other members that may be looking for your expertise and experience.

“Company profiles should also be kept up to date. You should join groups that are relevant and contribute content too. The reality is that you have a tool you may just be one click or search away from a great and relevant opportunity. At Howorth, we have had potential clients contact us through LinkedIn, as well as potential employees. That is powerful and these are inbound enquiries without any direct outreach ourselves.”

Once a person has posted information on the internet, is it ethically fine for employers or recruitment agencies to check it out? How has the notion of privacy changed in the internet age, as to what it is permissible for employers/recruiters to examine as part of a candidate checking methodology?

“Definitely there are no ethical issues. Just like we say to our clients what you control is what comes out of your mouth, it’s the same with social media. What you control is the content you decide to put in them. At the end of the day, only put out there what you are comfortable being out there. If you said it, stand behind it. If you don’t want to see it, then don’t say it. It’s simple really.”

Since the emergence of social media, have expectations of public relations employers changed? How? Is it expected of every PR practitioner to have had some experience in social media, even if only on a personal level?

“I think it has. You need to understand social media and how it works, how individuals use these platforms to engage, etc.

“Human beings love to connect with other human beings that may share similar passions or interests, whether we know them or not. That is why these platforms are so powerful and attracting millions of users every year. We are social animals and it’s now so easy to connect with people and express an opinion, which removes the barrier of entry, especially for those that are perhaps a little more shy in real life situations.

“Virtual networking is very popular. It’s also a great platform for people who are opinionated, the exhibitionists, the people who love the sound of their own voice and so on.

“Given this is where communications and conversations take place, it’s critical for PR people to know how to participate and navigate this world. It requires openness, it requires transparency, it requires effort and it’s long term. You have to be prepared to take criticism, enjoy the praise, listen to the community, etc. It’s a great feedback channel for a brand, so use it. It is also critical from a search perspective too.

“As James Grunig said in his earlier theory on PR, the fourth model was two-way symmetrical communication with our stakeholders – two way, participatory conversations. That’s so true today, and perhaps a fifth model has emerged which is two-way asymmetrical in the favour of the consumer, as with social media they can say what they like, when they like. If it is negative and organisations don’t like, they can chose to ignore it, but at their peril, hence the consumer has more power.

The most obvious option is to engage with them, listen to them, act upon it, and turn the negative to neutral or even positive advocacy.”

What do you think about what Graham has said? Did you compare it to what leading PR recruiters said in a previous post? Is the task of developing new business in an agency environment a pleasure or a pain? Is it PR? In future posts, an in-house communicator and a young practitioner at the beginning of her career will provide their perspectives on what it takes to excel in PR.

Graham White is managing director of Howorth, Ogilvy PR Australia’s specialist business and technology communications consultancy. He also plays a leadership role in Australia for Ogilvy 360 Digital Influence, Ogilvy’s specialist social media practice. Graham moved from England in 2000 and joined Howorth after more than 12 years’ management and communications experience with Yellow Pages and CC Group, a specialist technology PR consultancy. Under his leadership, Howorth has enjoyed strong growth and won many industry awards. Graham is also an Ambassador for Starlight’s IT Fund for Kids, a charity that unites the Information Technology and Telecommunications industry to help raise funds to assist children living with serious illness, disability and autism through technology.

PS. I’d welcome you joining networks with me through my LinkedIn profile. Send me an invite!

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