Love is certainly the buzzword for Valentine’s Day, regardless of your own personal circumstances. However, how many people love their job or what they do?

According to a 2021 survey by Capterra, more than a fifth of UK employees (21%) like their job or employer less than they did pre-pandemic. Nearly half of those employees (42%) also stated that their job had become boring, repetitive or monotonous, while a further quarter believed that their job had lost all meaning.

But I wonder if many of those responses came from anyone working in public relations, because the PR industry certainly can’t be labelled as boring. That’s just one of the reasons why many people – including me – love it.

Work on a variety of topics and industries

It would be too easy just to rely on the cliché that “No two days are the same” when working in PR, but that is exactly the case. There is very little laborious, repetitive process.

What there is with PR is the chance to dabble in a number of industries and frequently work on something new. It can be anything from a new product launch to a CEO’s reputational crisis that urgently needs resolving before it ends up in any long-term damage to a business.

PR is a very fast-paced and dynamic industry. Therefore, there is not really an opportunity to overly plan your days when working in PR, due to the completely unpredictable nature of the industry.

An immense sense of achievement

The amount of fantastic results you can experience in PR is almost unparalleled in most other industries. If you’ve ever experienced the excitement of securing coverage or seeing your clients feature on a broadcast, then you know exactly what I mean. Generating discussions and stakeholder engagement around the campaigns that you have put out can also give you a great buzz as well.

Surround yourself with the right team – like I have at Curzon PR – and this sense of achievement is heightened ten-fold when you share your good news with them, as well as with your clients. Having supportive peers that know the industry really helps to put into perspective just how great a job you have done.

There’s also the feeling of accomplishment that comes from solving problems for people, and not just when it comes to crisis communications either. Clients have a desire to be seen and heard, while also – in many cases – showcasing their talents, products and/or services. When your innovative and informative ideas to achieve their goals come into fruition, it’s very satisfying indeed.

Always something to learn

As American billionaire investor Charlie Munger states: “Those who keep learning, will keep rising in life.”

Due to the constantly changing nature of the industry, PR professionals must continually evolve to keep up. They must always pay attention to what other people in the industry are doing and why they are doing it in a particular way.

Again, by working at Curzon PR, I feel like I am in a very privileged position. Not only am I surrounded by a lot of very knowledgeable colleagues, I’m also able to learn from two very experienced and exceptional members of the management team: CEO Farzana Baduel and Account Director Simon Hemelryk.

By working with Farzana and Simon, I can take onboard their expertise first-hand and see how they approach particular aspects of PR. I’ve learnt so much in a very short space of time. It’s not just a case of being told what to do and when by them either – as they welcome ideas and work with you to help create the best possible solutions together.

Develop prolific relationships within a close-knit community

The very nature of PR is to make connections not only between people, but often whole communities as well.

PR professionals help build bridges between the media and our clients, customers, stakeholders and non-profit partners, to name but a few. There’s also the opportunity to create friends while getting the job done, which can be as exciting as securing any sort of top-tier coverage.

There is a terrific sense of camaraderie and cooperation within the majority of the industry, which is definitely something to be thankful for and appreciate. It’s great to know you’re in good company both internally and in the wider PR industry.

PR takes nerve

Even after only a few months, I can confidently say that PR is not for the faint-hearted. It’s never-ending and waits for no one. Problems can’t be ignored and there’s no quick-fix of burying your head in the sand and waiting for things to blow over/calm down.

Managing a number of projects and clients – and splitting your time between them all – is a challenge in itself. Throw social media, campaigns, potential crisis communications and marketing materials into the mix and you have a complicated balancing act to navigate every week.

PR requires you to keep a lot of plates spinning, but knowing that you can’t let any of them fall certainly keeps you on your toes.

PR has a real impact

PR firms are often trusted with what is, arguably, a company’s most valuable asset: its brand. Not only that, but they are also expected to keep it moving forward, while ensuring that the ingrained values and company culture are communicated across various channels.

In a crowded marketplace, it’s down to PR and communications experts to put the work in to ensure that a company is able to compete.

Tell stories that help to inspire, educate and inform

It’s a pleasure and a privilege – as a professional communicator – to share information across various channels, including print, video and social media, to various audiences, every day.

There is a responsibility on PRs to create well-written, fact-checked copy that incorporates captivating information and entices suitable outlets to publish it. But being able to serve readers, listeners and viewers, as well as clients, is a powerful position to be in.

Encouraging people to take action or shaping their thoughts and, in time, their behaviours regarding a particular topic is a privilege. How many other industries can elicit such an important change in people? It’s a serious responsibility and is one that certainly shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Curzon PR is a London-based PR firm working with clients globally. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Business Development Team [email protected]