By Jill Kurtz
Online Career Tips Contributor
This content was previously run on Jill’s profile in LinkedIn Pulse.
I was fortunate to be able to attend the recent PRSA-NCC Thoth Awards Gala during which 41 public relations efforts received awards. The program highlights the best of DC area communications programs and the professionals behind them. For me, the gala an annual reminder of why I chose public relations as a career: PR professionals get to do amazing things!
Since the event I have been thinking about the traits of communicators I admire. Here’s my starter list that I hope you will add to by making a comment.
Strategic. Great communicators are strategic. They know their job is to deeply understand an issue and to define goals and objectives so they know where they are headed and why.
Versatile. People who communicate well have an assortment of tools in their arsenal and pick the right one for each situation. They know that not every issue is solved with a media placement or a social post.
Learners. No matter how many years they have in the field, the best communicators know they need to always be students of the profession and the world. As one illustration of this, the PRSA annual international conference (which just happens to be in DC this year) is attended by people at all stages in their careers.
Proud. The public relations field takes its share of knocks: we’re spin doctors and our work can’t be measured and is therefore valueless. I can only conclude that anyone who thinks little of PR hasn’t really worked with someone who is great at PR. Great professionals are proud of what they do and put these myths to rest through their actions every day.
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