Navigating the Office: Essential Training Tips for New PR Professionals
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“Growth is uncomfortable.” This is something I’ve repeated over the years to interns and entry-level employees at Walt & Company. For new professionals, starting a job means embracing the discomfort of adapting to office life, collaborating with colleagues who have been in the industry for decades and understanding new, and often unspoken expectations. It’s an essential journey for career growth, but with the right mindset the transition can be easy.
I have always enjoyed working with interns and entry-level employees, sharing the tactical process of working, general office how-to’s and personal experiences that have grown my career, and in return watching them flourish.
The on-boarding process for a PR-agency job can be both thrilling and overwhelming for a new professional. There’s a steep learning curve with high expectations, especially for those entering their first full-time job or first in-office job. There’s a whole new language of communication and expectations to grasp. Traditionally, higher-education PR classes might cover the structure of a press release, but learning in a classroom isn’t going to teach the dynamic skills needed to be successful in this fast-paced career.
However, with the right support system and endless check lists and to-do lists, this rewarding career will become second nature. Here are a few tips and tricks I always suggest to first-time professionals:
Listen to Conversations. This is easier to do in an office setting, but your managers are always having conversations – with each other, with other team members, with clients, etc. These interactions provide valuable insights into office dynamics, client personalities and expectations. The more you absorb, the more confident you'll become in navigating client and account operations.
Be Proactive. This is critical. Don’t hesitate to step up and volunteer to do something out of your comfort zone – draft press releases, product pitches or award submissions. Take every chance to learn and grow. Your managers will value your willingness to contribute to the team, even if it’s unfamiliar territory.
Show What You Know. Demonstrate to your managers that you know what is expected of you. Personally, I found it effective to send emails to my manager listing each project I completed or updates on specific tasks. This not only assured my manager I understood the process, but also reinforced that I can be trusted to complete an assignment.
Organization Systems Matter. This is a personalized process, and may take some trial and error, but it’s crucial to find an effective method for you to manage daily tasks, deadlines and ongoing/long term projects and assignments. Remember, a missed deadline is your responsibility.
Find a mentor. Identify someone in the office who is approachable for you and whose management style you admire. Find the courage to schedule meetings with them to gain insights into their career journey. Success doesn’t happen overnight, and there’s much to learn from other’s experiences. Trust your mentor and ask for constructive criticism. Ask how you can better support the team. With the right mentor, you can gain valuable insights into yourself and your work style, which prove invaluable throughout your career.
