Millennials in PR: How Young Professionals Stay Ahead
Gen Y, otherwise known as millennials, currently represents the largest generation in the U.S. Soon, this generation will be well beyond 50 percent of the workforce according to Elance-oDesk.
Young public relations professionals, including myself, are often asking ‘how can I show off my skills at work?’ Many of us are working alongside fellow 20-somethings, but report to Gen Xers. Keeping that in mind, it’s important to recognize what we can do to be successful, stay ahead, receive the hard earned stamp of approval and bridge the generation gap.
If you’ve paid attention to the news over the last few years, you’ve probably seen some of these headlines:
How do you work with a millennial?
How do you manage and keep a millennial happy in the workplace?
Are millennials just entitled and lazy?
Fighting some harsh stereotypes, it’s important for millennials to evolve with our Gen X colleagues. As a 1993 baby, I’m right smack in the middle of the millennial generation. Here is an insider's view on best practices to gain an edge as a young PR professional today.
Read, read and keep reading
Taking time out of the day to pick up the newspaper will help you stay up to date on daily news and provide you with new creative ideas to benefit your clients and work product overall. Reading the paper, print or online, has become one of the single best ways for me to learn what competitors are up to and it sparks fresh ideas in the process.
Another great resource, blogs. To stay on top of the evolving world of content marketing check out Convince & Convert or Copyblogger. These blogs provide the latest and greatest on content marketing trends and help young professionals develop skills, such as how to identify and reach target audiences and provide best practices for creative writing.
Lastly, be sure to regularly check out Inc., Forbes and Fast Company. Though these are leadership focused magazines, learning to think like your manager helps you develop the skills to manage up. A skill valued by Gen X and boomers alike.
It’s OK to be a follower
Following the right influencers on social will make a major difference in the tidbits of information you pick up daily. I recommend staying in tune with influencers in the marketing industry including Jay Baer, President of Convince & Convert or Ryan Holmes, CEO of Hootsuite. It’s equally important to branch out beyond influencers within the marketing industry. Opt to follow others in different fields of interest (e.g., media, tech, entertainment).
For the most original content and expert thought leadership, here are a few of my favorites:
@DavidSacks, former COO and now CEO of Zenefits
@JoannaColes, Editor-in-Chief at Cosmopolitan
@MarkYoshitake, VP of Product at SmartThings
@GuyKawasaki, Chief Evangelist at Canva and Co-Founder of Alltop
Sallie Krawcheck, CEO and Co-founder of Ellevest
Pete Cashmore, CEO and Founder of Mashable
Sramana Mitra, Founder of One Million by One Million
Neil Patel, Co-founder at Crazy Egg and Hello Bar
Write and then write some more
Utilizing creative writing outlets like blogging and writing prompt tools like Daily Page, have helped me to refine my skills. Though it’s not a press release, short form creative writing is one of the best outlets to hone writing skills.
As we all know, being 100 percent confident in your writing takes time. Be sure to get consistent feedback from multiple sources. The review process is an important one and we should often seek a fresh perspective on our work. You'll be surprised at how much better it can make your writing product.
Get out of your comfort zone
In today’s PR world, we must go beyond the basics. This means branching out and acquiring new skills to increase your value. Obtaining Google Analytics Certification or AdWords Certification will give you the skills to track and measure results, which in turn makes you more valuable to your company and clients. Soon, my entire PR team will be able to keep up with the paid media team, at least as far as Google data collection and analytics goes.
Continue to freshen up your content marketing and social media skills. PR professionals are expected to know how to create and share valuable content, as well as build content calendars across multiple social platforms. For a list of helpful social tools, check out 52nd & Madison’s article 9 Social Media Tools written by our talented social media strategist.
Keep your skills fresh
Sometimes, thinking about watching an educational video takes you back to a boring lecture, JLS 101: Introduction to Journalism. Sorry, flashback. But the educational opportunities are nearly endless when it comes to webinars on public relations, social media, content marketing, copywriting, etc.
As a Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) member, I’m able to access all of the live and on-demand webinars for free. From personal experience, it might take you a few tries to find one that truly resonates, but it’s worth the effort for free, ongoing learning.
Other great videos can be found through TEDx. Though most everyone has heard of these talks, how many people consistently watch them for professional development? There are a ton of presentations regarding best practices for communicators. If you’re struggling in a specific area, chances are there is a TEDx available.
Co-work
Co-working doesn’t end after college. We are living through a collaborative boom. Now is not the time to be the one with your headphones on in the corner all day. Instead, ask a co-worker to collaborate.
Maybe it’s writers block or you need outside inspiration. Taking the opportunity to bounce ideas off of others is something to take advantage of and encouraged in today's fast-paced agency environment. I find that this is a great way to learn new pitching skills, brainstorm story ideas or learn from others’ mistakes.
Take it all in
Fortunately, I landed a job at a pretty amazing place. For me, this means countless opportunities for personal and professional growth. One of them being the opportunity to learn to manage up.
If you work in an environment where this is supported, step it up. Offer to help whenever possible and learn to anticipate what your bosses next move might be. Learn this skill and the odds will forever be in your favor. Trust me.
Also, learn what your more experienced peers appreciate in a colleague. This will create a more productive workplace and positive experience for all. At the end of the day, if you want to stay ahead and move up the ranks, you’ll need their trust and respect.
If you have any additional suggestions for young professionals today, we would love to hear from you in the comments below!
