I got skills, they're multiplyin'

With unemployment increasing and my graduation date creeping closer my anxiety level has sky rocketed. I sit in my classes surrounded by my competition daily and begin to question what skills my classmates might have that will guarantee them a job instead of me.

I begin to create my resume in my head, listing all the skills I've mastered through the years and the traits I possess. I started to ask myself whether or not they were enough? A simple Internet search would answer this question.

I began my search by using the more popular job search engines: monster.com, hotjobs.com and indeed.com, and found pages full of job openings in the field of public relations.

As I clicked through the listings I started to see similar qualifications and skills that companies were looking for in a potential employee. Five of which stood out as being essentials in the PR world.

1. Outstanding writing skills

In a job listing posted on idealist.org, the California Environmental Associates requested applicants who could “write and edit compelling, impactful documents for a range of audiences.” This would be extremely important in a non-profit organization such as CEA, whose “mission is to help policy-makers and regulators develop and implement policies that will improve the environmental sustainability and economic efficiency of the electric sector.”

With every press release or a speech, PR practitioners must be able to use their writings to captivate their clients or audiences quickly and powerfully.

Good grammar and spelling are key factors as well because they show professionalism and that a company can be taken seriously.

2. Building Relationships

Whether it’s a relationship with a client, a co-worker, the media, or a source, a PR practitioner’s relationship skills can either make or break a company or organization.

Just Harvest posted applicants must a) have experience with media relations and b) have a proven ability to work effectively in a team.

Similarily, California Council for Humanities post on the idealist.org requires someone who has “experience managing and inspiring staff to achieve organizational goals and objectives”

I believe this to be the most important skill of them all. A strong connection with the media opens a variety of doors for information and fuels the whole mentality of “if you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”

A solid relationship with co-workers creates an effective and trusting environment where ideas and projects can form powerfully.

3. Problem-solving

Firms, organizations, and companies always need new and innovative ways of solving problems.

In the book Today’s Public Relations, Robert Heath and W. Timothy Combs write “PR practitioners must be analytical, capable of identifying and dissecting issues. Part of the challenge of being a successful practitioner is to recognize problems before they happen and one they happen. Recognizing a problem is the first step, being able to think strategically and tactically is the second.”

For example, a job posted by the California Council for Humanities listed “Demonstrated capacity as a problem solver with strong strategic, organizational and management abilities,” as one of the qualifications.

4. Research ability

Facts triumph over generalizations any day, especially in the non-profit sector. Audiences want to be sure that they can trust something or someone before investing their financial and emotional support into anything. A PR practitioner must look to numerous outside sources to gather a variety of information as well as have the motivation and creativity to conduct individual research.

5. Planning capability

Organization, attention to detail, communication, and listening are all skills that follow under planning events or presentations. Many if not all job listings I read required this skill.

Being able to see the big picture while staying within a company’s budget is extremely important for a non-profit organization. Without a large amount of funds, a PR practitioner has to find creative and effective ways to spread the mission without breaking the bank.

The following is a video where a reporter gives advice on writing a strong resume. The tips she gives include most of the five skills I listed above.