This past week has been a complete emotional roller coaster for me. Early this week I decided that after over three years of working at my current PR agency, I am going to take a new position at a smaller, more boutique PR firm in New York City. Truth be told I wasn’t looking for a new position and rarely even had thoughts about leaving my current agency. I’ve been completely happy and comfortable with my current position and surroundings. Why would I leave? However, when I was contacted by a recruiter that was referred by a friend for an opportunity I was interested in, I couldn’t turn a blind eye.

It all happened so fast. I interviewed and was offered the position a few days later. I struggled immensely in my head – going back and forth whether or not taking a leap was something I wanted to do. I adore the clients I work on and love the people I work with, but at the end of the day, I couldn’t pass up this new opportunity. Rarely do opportunities like this come knocking at your door and if I hadn’t taken the new position, I probably would’ve regretted it. It’s going to be a total change of pace but now is the time to come out of my comfort zone, try something new and take a leap into the unknown.

Breaking the news to my colleagues was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do, particularly to my SVP that I’ve worked so closely with since day one. I was feeling moments of both sadness for leaving and extreme excitement for what’s next to come. I’ve given my two weeks notice, have a few days off in between, and then I start my new position. Stay tuned for many posts about what I’ve experienced during the transition. I’m beyond excited for what the future holds and can’t wait to bring all of you along for my new adventure!

Wish me luck.

Xo, A

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When I was beginning to explore public relations as a career, one of my parents worries for me was whether or not this would be a lucrative path for me to go down.  I can’t deny I had the same fears, especially since I was plagued with champagne taste (even on a college student’s beer budget).  Not to mention I was determined to live in Manhattan, quite arguably the most expensive place for a person to live in the United States.

Admittedly, in the beginning, it’s not an easy start in public relations.  While friends of mine were talking near six figure contracts in their early 20′s at financial firms, I was budgeting out my month to be sure I could afford attending a friend’s birthday party.  Not a super-fun place to be in.

As you move forward you realize there are plenty of opportunities to make serious dough in your PR career.  And not just in your salary. Our people pay off the passionate, so if you successfully bring in more talent, score a great new client or even have a desire to go to grad school there may be opportunities to bring in some bank.  Here’s a quick break down for you:

AVERAGE SALARY FOR PR PROFESSIONALS BY LEVEL IN 2013 (According to PRSA)

• Account Executive – $52K – $59K
• Senior Account Executive – $62K – $70K
• Account Supervisor – $77K – $80K
• Vice President – $114K – $117K
• Senior Vice President $136K – $138K
• Executive Vice President – $161K – $173K

The above is just a guideline for salary, but it’s a pretty good one.  Salary depends on the size of your agency and the type of clients you’re working with.  Smaller boutique firms usually pay under average, but they come with great perks.  Bigger agencies with bigger  clients may be able to pay more.  But guess that your starting salary as a Junior Account Executive or Assistant Account Executive will be around $36K. Interns are usually paid an hourly wage, or with college credit.

ADDITIONAL PAY PERKS WITHIN PR

Finder’s Fee – Pretty much your nice “thank you” from your company if you bring in a new team member that stays on for at least 6 months.  Many companies offer this perk so they don’t have to pay recruiters. Average is about $2,000

New Client Cut – If you have a great new business lead and bring it to your company and you win the business, many PR firms offer a percentage of the total contract amount to the person who brought in the business. Ca-ching!

Basic Bonus – Not all PR firms have Christmas or Holiday bonuses, but many offer a little bump in pay for a month if you work extra hours over the weekend or extraordinarily hard with a special client project

Grad School Grant – Some companies have amazing programs for their employees who are interested in attending grad school while working. Check with HR if there is an opportunity within your company

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Many of my friends, whether they’re in PR or not, have been going through emotional roller coasters at their jobs.  It has been interesting to witness from the outside looking in, because I definitely have been in their shoes before.  Though we are taught (especially as women) to never get emotionally invested in our jobs, it is hard when you literally spend 75% (if not more) of your time at your desk with your co-workers and managers. Emotions are definitely involved in our day to day business lives, whether we want them to be or not.  We’ve been told to go outside if it all gets to be too much, but that’s not really feasible all the time.  Not to mention, some emotion is good to show in the office!  It displays your passion and want for your job, and how hard you work for the position you’re in.  Here are a few ways you can control your feelings while at the office:

You just landed your promotion, and you’re over the moon – COMPLETELY awesome, and definitely good to celebrate with your managers and those who know about the move. Be sure to stay discreet, and not brag or boast. Don’t let the bump go to your head, but celebrate your victory to your heart’s content outside the office.

You just hit Reply All on a sensitive email, and you want to crawl under your desk and die – Breathe first. Try to recall the message if you can. If not, send an apology note directly after and talk to your managers about how to best solve the issue. Being quick is key.

Your manager just lost it on you and/or your team, and your flight senses are kicking in. You feel the tear ducts welling – Crying because you’re being scolded is the worst offense in the office, but it’s manageable.  You don’t want to be the girl who loses it every time it gets rough, but it’s okay to show that you care about the mistakes that were made. Try to hold back, and if you do need to cry take a walk around the block and call mom (try to avoid the office bathroom aka the office rumor mill)

You were right about a work issue when everyone was wrong. You want everyone else to eat crow – Save it. Everyone knows you were right without you saying “I told you so.” Trying to establish you were thinking straight while everyone was crazy doesn’t buy you any brownie points.

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Hi A + M,

I recently set up an interview with one of our clients for the editor of a local paper. The editor said that he would be available, “Friday…morning is preferred…say 10 a.m.?” I checked with my client’s schedule and then emailed the editor saying that she would be available at 9 a.m. I closed my email by saying “Please let me know if this time is good for you.” The editor responded “Thank you.” 

Do I take that as a yes? How should I respond to that? I just sat there and stared at his response. I ended up responding “I’ll let her know that you’ll be calling at that time. Good luck with the interview!” How would you have responded? Have you experienced any silly editor/reporter responses that stand out in your mind?

I love this question because I’m sure any PR professional would say that this happens all the time. Don’t let it drive you crazy. Communication is the most important part of our job and it’s imperative that emails don’t get misconstrued. Your response was fair, but don’t ever be afraid to confirm what a response means. A lot of the time we’re too cautious to seem overeager with media, but truth be told it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Something like, “To confirm, you will be calling X at 9 a.m. on DATE.” Make sure you have the reporters number so you can call him/her if he/she doesn’t follow through or forgets.

Situations like this happen frequently with media – whether you’re arranging an interview, a deskside or confirming a placement. We tend to forget that media are people too – not just email addresses – so we shouldn’t be afraid to double check if we’re confused by a response. They tend to make mistakes in their communication too.

How have you handled silly media responses?

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There must be something in the water. In the past few weeks I have had several PR friends come to me saying they’re thinking about switching careers. Switching out of PR? What?! It comes as shock since these are PR professionals I’ve been looking up to a majority of my career. Maybe it’s because they’re going through a burnout phase, or maybe they’re realizing PR really isn’t for them. If you’re feeling the same way, here are a few suggestions.

• Figure out the problem. Get to the heart of what’s really bothering you before you make any rash decisions. If it’s something that’s petty and will pass, it could be overlooked.
• Talk to your manager. This should be one of your immediate first steps. Maybe there are some new accounts you can work. Or maybe they can help bring more support to your team if you feel like you’re drowning.
• Consider a new division or agency. It’s a possibility that healthcare PR isn’t a fit for you. Or maybe you think being in-house would be a better option. A lot of the times, PR is PR wherever you go – but maybe the culture at your office isn’t a fit for you. A change could reignite the passion you once had for your job.
• Explore new career options. If PR really isn’t right for you, don’t be afraid to go back to level 1. Enroll in school and follow your passion. It sounds corny, but life really is short and you need to do what will make you happy. Don’t feel pressured to do anything you don’t want to do.

Have you ever felt this way? How did you get out of a rut?

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Summer is right around the corner and PR Girls are getting ready to hit the ground running in their internships. Though our industry’s history is just as important, your internship will serve up just as much valuable knowledge as the classroom, if not more. But before you start – here are a few things you should keep in mind so you can make the most out of your summer PR Internship.

Set Goals: We all know that getting your foot in the door is of course important and we value interns with industry experience.  However, your only goal shouldn’t be adding a name and few bullet points to your resume. Your internship is going to give you an inside look into the business and you will want to seize every opportunity to shine. So, set goals for yourself – what do you want to get out of your time at your internship? For as much as you do for your agency, let your agency also work for you.

Let your Passions Shine: It’s a lot easier to put your best foot forward when you’re working on something that really gets the brain juice flowing. There are going to be all sorts of projects you will get to work on, but make sure to find a passion in each one. For example like learning about bloggers? When you are building an influencer list for a client read a bit more about each – you will be the go-to when your supervisor needs a little more information or is looking for that perfect editorial fit for a client.

Keep a Journal: You are about to get a crash course in the PR Industry. Think of it like a really high-energy all day long summer school – but way better.  Keep a journal and make what you learn at your internship work for you in the classroom if you are headed back to school. Using this as a launch point to a job? Take notes about what you do and don’t like – it’s a great way to learn what sector of the industry you will want to work in. Plus I am sure there will be some inspirational words of wisdom along the way… make sure to jot those down too, for a rainy day when you need some inspiration.

Grow Your Social Networks: With media booming each day online – social networks are linking parts of your client’s stories all together. You can do the same for yourself. Here’s an idea – take your journal online – use it to grow your social networks letting your fellow PR Girls in on your summer internship experience. It will give you a chance to practice your writing, refine your voice and you never know who you may connect with and what you might learn. It can be your window into the social community and it’s an even better practice of social media networking and blogger relations.

Hey practicing PR Ladies – these are a few tips that may help you gain some perspective too!

This post contributed by PRBlonde.

About PRBlonde: I was born and Bred in W.A.S.P. country & now work in the Dallas PR Industry. As a self-professed style shaper and editor of my blog PRBlonde, I am a right brained, left-hander, who’s always loved a craft. So it was only a matter of time before glitter and glue became pictures and prose – 2.0 style! 

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For those following our “how to pitch” series, we’ve taken a look at broadcast, magazines, online magazines and blogs. Next we’re going to dive into how to pitch newspapers. Ever so often you develop a national pitch that warrants a placement in USA Today or the New York Times or a local pitch that perfect for a town newspaper. Either way, pitching newspapers and getting a print placement can be difficult. You need to make sure your topic is relevant and really worth your (and the reporters) time. Here are just a few tips based on my experience.

• Read the paper yourself. I always grab Metro in the morning. You’ll get a better sense of what’s important to a newspaper reporter.
• Find the right beat reporter. Common sense, but don’t pitch a food story to the entertainment reporter. If you’re unsure of who would cover your story, call the newspaper to find out.
• Put your reporter cap on. Think of it from their point of view. Would this interest you? What’s the news hook?
• Get to the point. I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again. Reporters want the story. They don’t want the fluff. Short concise pitches offering the who, what, when and where will be well received.
• Make it clear how it’s relevant to their reader. Why does your pitch matter to the public? Does the story have any local flair?
• Ask if now is a good time. If you’re picking up the phone to pitch a reporter, which you should, always ask if now is a good time. With hard deadlines and a full plate, you never want to be viewed as wasting a reporters time.
• Be very wary of deadlines. Reporters have a tight turnaround. Make sure you ask what their deadline is so you can get them everything they need ahead of time.
• Give options. Reporters are drawn to interviews and quotes. Tell them who they can speak to and what other assets you have to offer.
• Find out when and where the story will be published. Print, online or both? Weekday or weekend edition? Don’t be afraid to ask – you need to report this back to your client.

Any other tips for pitching newspapers?

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