Analysis of the most important employable skills in Public Relations

What Are Employability Skills? The two greatest concerns of employers today are finding good workers and training them. The difference between the skills needed on the job and those possessed by applicants, sometimes called the skills-gap, is of real concern to human resource managers and business owners looking to hire competent employees. While employers would prefer to hire people who are trained and ready to go to work, they are usually willing to provide the specialized, job-specific training necessary for those lacking such skills. Most discussions concerning todays workforce eventually turn to employability skills. Finding workers who have employability or job readiness skills that help them fit into and remain in the work environment is a real problem. Employers need reliable, responsible workers who can solve problems and who have the social skills and attitudes to work together with other workers. Creativity, once a trait avoided by employers who used a cookie cutter system, is now prized among employers who are trying to create the empowered, high performance workforce needed for competitiveness in todays marketplace. Employees with these skills are in demand and are considered valuable human capital assets to companies. Employability skills are those basic skills necessary for getting, keeping, and doing well on a job. These are the skills, attitudes and actions that enable workers to get along with their fellow workers and supervisors and to make sound, critical decisions. Unlike occupational or technical skills, employability skills are generic in nature rather than job

specific and cut across all industry types, business sizes, and job levels from the entrylevel worker to the senior-most position. I Want to Work in Public Relations

Public Relations (usually referred to as PR) involves: communicating a message to one or more of the different target audiences an organization wishes to influence in a positive way. Public Relations Executive may be involved in: answering enquiries from individuals, journalists and organizations; preparing press releases, articles etc.; organizing press briefings, conferences, exhibitions, receptions, tours; writing and editing in-house journals; creating and maintaining useful contacts; planning and initiating PR campaigns. A lot of junior PR posts consist mainly of writing so evidence of writing for the student newspaper, doing the publicity for a student society, proofreading or blogging on your CV will enhance ones chances. To succeed in PR, one needs to have excellent written and verbal communication skills, to be hard-working and able to deal with a number of different tasks at one time, creative, determined, persuasive and persistent. One needs to be versatile and adaptable with a good eye for a story and the ability to craft content, also to be interested in business and understand that agencies need to make profits. Competition for entry-level posts is fierce so one needs to do lots of research into what PR involves and try to gain unpaid work experience. Many people enter PR after experience in journalism, advertising or marketing. Here are 10 most important Public Relations needed skills: 1. Writing

Written Communication involves expressing yourself clearly, using language with precision; constructing a logical argument; note taking, editing and summarizing; and writing reports. There are three main elements to written communication

structure (the way the content is laid out) style (the way it is written) content (what you are writing about)

2. Lateral thinking skills

Lateral thinking, is the ability to think creatively, or "outside the box" as it is sometimes referred to in business, to use your inspiration and imagination to solve problems by looking at them from unexpected perspectives. Lateral thinking involves discarding the obvious, leaving behind traditional modes of thought, and throwing away

preconceptions. Its very important in careers such as advertising, marketing, the media and art and design where you may get questions in the selection process along the lines of "Write down one hundred ways to use a brick/paperclip", but it can also be of value in the job hunting process itself.

3. Determination

Determination is a key attribute sought after by recruiters of graduates and for many roles can be more important than sheer intelligence. It is sometimes referred to

as drive: "the determination to get things done, to make things happen & constantly to look for better ways of doing things." It is assessed on application forms and at interview by asking you questions about when you faced up to a challenge or a significant achievement in your life. Sometimes ones interests can show evidence of this: mountain climbing, marathon running or major sporting achievements may strongly suggest the drive to succeed, but also learning to play a musical instrument to grade 8 or to reach black belt in a martial art could also be evidence for substantial determination. Determination is closely associated with resilience: the ability to bounce back from setbacks, rather than giving up. When the going gets tough, the tough get going! Perseverance and persistence are also highly related.

4. Commercial Awareness

Commercial awareness could be summed up as an interest in business and an understanding of the wider environment in which an organization operates: its customers, competitors and suppliers.

It might also encompass understanding of the economics of the business and understanding the business benefits and commercial realities from both the organizations and the customer's perspectives.

Generally it includes awareness of the need for efficiency, cost-effectiveness, customer care and a knowledge of the market place in which the company operates (current economic climate and major competitors, for example)

Why is it important? It is a major criteria for selecting candidates . A survey by the CBI and UUK in 2009 found that 35% of employers were dissatisfied with the business and customer awareness of graduates.

One major consultancy felt that a detailed understanding of the company, the issues facing the industry in which they operate, professional qualifications offered and job roles within the company was even more important at interview than answers to competency-based questions

It shows your commitment to the job you are applying for. It gives you more to discuss in an interview It improves your knowledge of a particular industry or company and may allow you to spot career opportunities you hadn't previously considered.

It helps you with career choice.

5. Public Speaking Public-speaking skills are a must since public relations and marketing professionals often find themselves in front of clients, reporters, customers, community

representatives or other groups. Effective public-speaking skills are a mixture of audience analysis, speech writing and speech delivery. Public relations and marketing professionals understand and respond to the needs of their audiences. Compelling speeches start with an attention-getting statement and include a clear thesis, preview of main points, main points, summary and clincher. Delivery skills include eye contact, a varied pitch and smooth vocal rate, and very few vocal fillers, such as "ah" or "like."

6. Non-Verbal Communication

Successful public relations and marketing professionals draw upon nonverbal communication techniques to underscore and emphasize a verbal or written message or determine the best ways to respond to client, management or team needs. Nonverbal techniques include eye contact, posture, gestures and listening.

7. Leadership

Since many communication and marketing goals require a team of writers, designers, editors and technicians, public relations and marketing professionals also require leadership skills to effectively pull a campaign together. Marketing and public relations professionals understand the basics, as well as the pros and cons, of leadership theories such as transformational, transactional or situational and know how to choose the best approach based on the needs of their team. They also use communication to inspire as well as hold team members accountable for tasks assigned.

8. Research

Communications research is the backbone of effective public relations and marketing campaigns. Effective public relations and marketing professionals understand how to align a research method, such as survey, focus group or interview, with the research question. Public relations and marketing professionals also draw from writing, public speaking and nonverbal communication skills to create survey questions, manage focus groups and conduct interviews.

9. Technology Technology has changed the way people in all professions do their jobs. Public relations people are no exception. Because many businesses and organization rely on electronic communications, public relations pros must be up-to-date and proficient on the latest technology. Sending electronic news releases, creating a blog on a company website, and using web video conferencing to reach consumers and customers are essential skills. A public relations practitioner must be aware of what technology is available. Not knowing could put you and your company behind the competition. In addition to the Internet and social marketing trends, PR people need to be in command of computer applications, such as desktop publishing and content

management systems. Being able to create a professional brochure or newsletter or knowing how to update your website and create new content is a much needed skill. 10. Risks and Opportunities As the PR person, it is your responsibility to assess situations and identify risks to and opportunities for your organization. You need to have the confidence to make the right decisions with clarity and decisiveness. Solid decision-making skills confidence, awareness, and assertiveness enable you to protect the interests of your business and connect with the opinion leaders and publics that are important to you. This is more than just reacting to an issue or situation in the news. This is about making smart moves to position your organization in the best manner possible.

After all the most critical part of a PR persons job is to build relationships and networks, and to connect with people. Isnt that what were trying to do in life as well?