As reported by PR Week recently, a poll of agency heads has revealed that a third believe graduates with PR degrees are less attractive than those who have studied other subjects.

When questioned about the value of PR education, 34 per cent of respondents on the PRCA PR Leaders’ Panel said that these qualifications actually make graduates less attractive. But on a more positive note, 70 per cent felt that a university education is more important than fifteen years ago.

Their argument is that a number of universities do not offer students ‘quality degrees’ and as a result, they produce under-performing PR graduates. They claim that these degrees do not equip graduates with the necessary skills to work at a professional level.

In all honesty, not all qualifications guarantee that a graduate shall be able to perform. This is difficult for many to accept but nonetheless, it remains a fact. It leads one to wonder if education or a formal qualification is a prerequisite for a successful career. Personally, I believe that a good PR education and accreditation is vital to true professionalism. Its not a guarantee of a ‘dream job’ but its a good start.

I think in order to work well, one must understand the basic principles and fundamentals of their chosen profession. In this case, the history and ethics of public relations and how it works as a management function.

PR veterans I have consulted on this issue claim that there are numerous talented PRs, who putting it bluntly- have no idea what they are doing. They might be great at spotting a pitch angle or writing a killer news release, but they cannot grasp how it all fits into the big picture. Indeed, there are PR graduates who understand the big picture, but find it difficult to draft even a simple news release. It is that big picture where the discipline of accreditation is invaluable.

Some argue that organizations such as CIPR (or PRSA in the US) are too slow to keep up with the latest developments in the communications realm and are always going to be some steps behind anything new. However, it is a non-issue in terms of accreditation as the principles of new PR/social media/PR 2.0 remain unchanged. It is only the tools and tactics that differ. The assumption that this whole “listening/conversation/dialogue/not controlling the message” concept is new, is a big reason for PR’s poor reputation. If such individuals had been accredited they would comprehend the big picture and not make this mistake.

Yet another argument is that accreditation will discourage young people from ‘trying out’ a PR career. I definitely don’t believe that this is true. Accreditation doesn’t put high caliber people off entering law or accountancy – many do ‘try out’ these professions and then quit because they don’t enjoy it or can’t hack it. Why shouldn’t the same be true of PR?

If we really want to be perceived as management advisers, with a seat on the board, then we need to be as educated as the lawyers and accountants at the table.

Yesterday, I was given new hope. PRs will not only make it through these dark times, we shall come out on top too!

Arguably, THE pinnacle authority on Public Relations, Prof. Anne Gregory, gave a guest lecture (on the title of this blog entry) in one of my Masters modules. Our regular instructor gave her a generous introduction, listing her many accolades and accomplishments. Boy, did she live up to her reputation!

In today’s increasingly globalised world, where consumerism and individualism rule, public relations practitioners are expected to deliver instant, personalised services. Organisations are under heavy scrutiny, with accountability and social responsibility at the fore. With technological advancement has come interdependence, facilitated by our ever reaching networks. Detachment is an archaic concept as our connections are amalgamated. Then, a recession in America would have sent ripples through the developed world; now, it has sent tidal waves across the globe.

The linkages spawned by the internet have totally altered the world of communications. Print journalism is being replaced by transitory citizen journalism and 24/7 reporting. In our pluralist society, a handful of global opinion leaders have multiplied beyond previous comprehension, with regular debate on a myriad of issues in an international arena.

This is the world in which, we, the new generation of Public Relations practitioners are to operate. In Gregory’s own words: “I’m jealous!” – and with good reason! In this brave new world, PR is finally gaining the recognition it duly deserves, as a legitimate and crucial management function.

To ensure an organisation’s survival and authenticity in this novel environment, communications will need to be at its heart. PRs are needed to sift through the clutter and communicate true meaning and clarity- transforming misinformation into information. In this tumultuous ocean of data, where many are drowning, PRs are steering the lifeboats.

Getting excited yet? Hold on- not ALL PRs are destined to be at the helm. Many are limited in skill and will only hoist the sails and swab the deck.

What I’m talking about is the difference between a communications manager and a communications technician. The distinction is quite clear. Despite the so-called saturation in the industry, very few PRs actually have the talent to professionally handle such a demanding directorial role. A communications technician performs all the run-of-the mill undertakings associated with PR, while a manager goes over and above this.

Forward thinking, successful organisations want more than the normative narrative offered by a PR technician. Here, a manager demonstrates their true worth by acting as the alternative voice in an organisation- an activist. A manager must see the organisation objectively in order to better advise the management on the best way to behave and gain public approval. This is not always the perspective the executive want to hear. Thus, in the words of R. Pearson real ‘PR practice is situated at precisely the point where competing issues collide.’

The fascinating and exhilarating news is that CEOs now recognise that this is essential for their organisations’ success. PR managers play an advisory role to the management where stakeholders, risks and issues are concerned, thus strategically shaping the CEO’s vision. The manager then compellingly communicates this vision to the relevant publics, significantly contributing to the company’s overall success.

One cannot deny the vital role PR plays in the formulation and realisation of an organisation’s goals. I daresay a communications manager comes second to the CEO in the effective running of an organisation.

For reasons foreign to most journalists, young graduates still flock to PR. It is among their top three favourite professions, according to the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), which estimates that 48,000 people work in it. It doesn’t stop there- growing numbers of people are switching jobs into PR. In the last 2 years, there has seen a rapid growth in PR with the number of journalists taking a dive.

After years of watching the hit TV series, Sex and the City, and idolizing the publicist- Samantha Jones, I can understand the attraction. Samantha owns her own Public Relations company, and schmoozes with the who’s who New York City. She is privy to all the best hot spots in the city and has a phonebook overflowing with names and numbers of the crème de la crème of New York’s elite. Ooh la la!

Everyone ‘knows’ about PR – and that it seems to consist mainly of going to parties and having your photo taken, like Meg Gallagher – but it’s not all parties and glamour, dahling! In fact, PR can be a glitz-free zone – hard work, with regular rejection sewn in. The mainstream perception propagated by Ab Fab and Peter Mandelson, do a disservice to the other part of the industry, which is really about a lot of toil and honesty.

The growth of the industry comes as no surprise with PRs now sitting on the board of directors, demonstrating that these communicators make a real impact. Once scarce PR education(now offered at diploma, Bachelors and Masters level) has become valuable asserting PR as a strategic tool and management function.

The increasing power of the media through Web 2.0 has led to understanding of the link between reputation, success and survival. Today, PR is finally recognised as a career that will offer bona fide responsibility and significance.

I thought a great way to kick off the launch of my very own blog would be to answer some ongoing questions.

Recently, some of my ‘Science-y’ friends (we are a huge pack of nerds ) have been asking me what it really takes to be in the PR business. Is a degree really necessary? Does one have to have certain character traits? Is it really that difficult to run a campaign? Is it more difficult that designing a machine that refines crude oil or performing surgery? The prehistoric argument pitting science against the arts; it would take many other blog entries to really do justice to that long winded discussion.

Within the wide field of communications, there are ongoing debates about the real definition of PR, especially in light of marketing. Whether PR is defined as a discipline in its own right, or simply a marketing function is yet to be established by PR and marketing practitioners. I wonder whether a consensus is even possible. For now though, I will focus on PR as it is practiced in most consultancies.

A good place to start would be with a definition. What is PR? PR is defined by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations as “the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour.” Essentially, it is the presentation of information about an organisation or individual to the outside world – to the media, and the public.

The theory of PR, keeping a good reputation, is simple. The realities are often more challenging as companies are rarely blessed with an ideal public profile at all times, and, at worst, can face an uphill struggle to change a strongly negative opinion into a positive one.

To be successful in PR, you need a wide range of at-times contrasting skills. I degree is not necessary, but it is advisable. Perhaps the most essential ability one must have is that of effective communication, for liaising with colleagues and clients. You need good organizational and administrative skills, as PR campaigns are often layered, multi-faceted and complex, and involve significant amounts of administration.

Creativity is a must, whether you are devising a stunt to raise awareness of a product, or writing copy for a press release, to take two instances.

In addition to all this, working in PR is often quite demanding, especially when an event or a launch is coming up. You’ll need to be able to cope with and perform under this kind of pressure – and be willing to work long hours at times.

To add on to that, people working in PR have to be a jack of all (relevant) trades. They need to be able to assimilate a suite of information relevant to the sector they work in. For example somebody working in investment PR will need a grasp of basic financial concepts but more importantly of different firms’ positions in the marketplace, and their images in the eyes of customers, competitors, shareholders, the media and the public at large.

As well as the challenging aspects noted above (and because of them), the rewards in PR, if a campaign goes well and your client receives great media coverage and is over the moon, make this a highly satisfying career!

Clearly, PR practitioners tackle a wide range of tasks and clients. In a nutshell, PR IS RARELY EVER DULL!!!