What makes you right for a career in PR?

 18th February 2015    PR Insight 
 Paarul Chand

This is probably a question many of you have asked yourself in the middle of exploding clients, enraged journos and difficult bosses. Turns out in spite of the often warzone like environment many of you do think you are right for PR. Here’s why.

Pratishtha Kaura, MSLGROUP India puts it bluntly. In her own words, she is right for PR because she can, “Handle stress without getting into depression and has a loads of patience to handle the pressure given by the client as well as the hot headedness of the journalists.”

Kaura adds, “I am so thick skinned even after getting scolded by nasty snobbish journalists; I call them when inviting or following up for a story!”

Vipul Bondal, Founder & CEO, Veriitte Consulting says that, “Over the years, I have seen people with diverse educational qualifications, including chartered accountants, bankers, economists, lawyers, journalists and even cardiac surgeons. The only exception is a rocket scientist, perhaps because PR is not rocket science after all!”

Bondal feels that, “The point is there's no "right" for being in PR.  One just needs to have a few qualities: (1) The passion and the love for the profession; (2) The ability to learn (and un-learn) something all the time and (3) the doggedness to go through the motions day-after-day. The rest can be learned and is fairly simple to understand. “

For Supriya Sikka, PR practitioner, she knows she is right for PR, when she shows “controlled aggression.”

Sikka also ticks off strong communication skills, patience, congeniality being available at almost any time of the day, intellectual curiosity, the ability to embrace the future and to embrace a service mentality, as core PR skills.”

“I love media, I love media and I love media”, declares Nimisha Limaye, group head, Clea Public Relations. She also says that, “I have good media relations and pitch stories keeping in mind the profile of the journo and what stories they cover. Because I do the necessary homework, journos don’t write hate mails to me and always answer my call.”

Limaye also keeps track of what the competition brands are doing and keeps her client abreast of the latest developments in the industry. 

Ritwik Sharma says, “I have always been a people person. Meeting new people and getting the opportunity to interact with the unknown is a great feeling. In PR, you get the chance to network with so many people from different backgrounds.”

Are you right for PR QUIZ?

• Bigg Boss is your favourite show, all the stress makes you feel at home.
• You don’t care if you are shouted at by hacks.
• You write so well that you are very sure you are the next Chetan Bhagat.
• Regular jobs bore you.
• You always know the story behind the story behind the story.
• You have elevated Spin to a core skill.

What career would you pick if you weren’t in PR?

We also asked what alternate career would work if not PR. The answers are surprising.

Supriya says, “I would have been a wedding planner. From the other side of the table, it seems to be one of the most beautiful, happening and rewarding careers.”

Nimisha would have channelled her inner actor, saying, “I would have become a daily soap actress as I love acting or a Travel show anchor.”

“If not in PR, then probably in advertising”, says Sharma. “I mean where else would I use this creativity? I think every PR professional goes through the dilemma of whether to opt for PR or Advertising? Thankfully I had the opportunity to work in both industries, I and I’m glad I chose PR.”

I would've perhaps been an Explorer. Wait! Am I not doing that already? After 20+ years, I continue to explore the world of PR and communication.... I think we haven't even scratched the surface in terms of what communications can achieve.