15 Reasons to be Grateful You’re in Public Relations

By Kathleen Lucente, CEO and founder of Red Fan Communications

Public relations professionals have plenty of reasons to be grateful. PR can be a challenging—hello, client services—but incredibly rewarding field. It demands creativity, resilience and excellent communication skills but, more than that, it forces us to evolve, adapt and nimbly grow in ways that few other professions allow. I’ve worked in communications my entire adult life, yet the rush of excitement I feel when we sign a new client, land a huge media placement or hear how we helped a customer exceed their business goals is just as prevalent now as it was 25 years ago.

When I reflect on these moments throughout my career, I can’t help but feel an immense gratitude for this profession and a desire to share that feeling with my community of fellow PR pros. After all, it’s us PR pros that underscore the beauty of this industry. The PR industry tends to attract people—both clients and colleagues—who are competitive, collaborative and love the thrill of successfully tackling a business challenge.

Here are 15 reasons why I’m grateful to be in PR this season:

●????? Dynamic, ever-evolving and never boring work: PR is as far from monotonous as a profession can get. Every day brings new challenges and opportunities to craft messages, engage with various media platforms and connect with people and audiences of different backgrounds, expertise and skill sets.

●????? Instills creativity and innovation: PR professionals’ creativity is boundless. Whether it's devising a new campaign, finding a fresh angle for a story or coming up with solutions to manage a crisis, we are constantly challenged by fresh issues and opportunities our clients face.

●????? Natural network-building: We often have the chance to develop extensive networks, both within and outside of our industry. These connections can be invaluable for personal and professional growth. As trusted advisers to our clients, we bring these connections to the table to help them with things we don’t do, from connecting a CEO with an executive coach, to bringing in well-suited brand and website designers to help a client.

●????? Partnering with clients to impact business success: Good PR directly contributes to the success of an organization or individual. Seeing the tangible results of a successful campaign or strategy warms the insides as much as grandma’s Thanksgiving turkey gravy. Working with clients who want a partnership creates highly successful integrated marketing campaigns.

●????? Endless learning opportunities: Working in PR means constantly staying on top of trends, media landscapes, the latest marketing tech stack and communications strategies, leading to continual learning and skill development. Whether it’s using the latest AI tools to help our clients know which content will have the most impact or helping our clients expand into new markets while leveraging the experience, staying current is key.

●????? Pure storytelling: At its core, PR is about storytelling. Being able to craft and convey compelling stories that resonate with audiences can be deeply fulfilling. You have to be a story junkie to do well in this business and have a keen sense of journalistic understanding. Many of us started as journalists, so our clients get not only incredible storytellers but outstanding ghostwriters as well.

●????? Sharpened crisis management skills: Navigating crises not only tests one's abilities but also builds resilience and problem-solving skills, which are valuable both professionally and personally. Though we prefer to help our clients avoid a crisis in the first place, we are always ready to jump in when needed and help a client manage unforeseen circumstances.

●????? Influence and reputation-building: Helping shape and maintain the reputations of brands, organizations or individuals is a powerful aspect of PR work. It’s keeping that momentum and having the client and the client’s sales team point out that the visibility is helping to open doors!

●????? Depth of knowledge in diverse industries: PR skills are transferable across various industries, allowing professionals to work in multiple fields throughout their careers, from tech and entertainment to nonprofit and government sectors.

●????? Helping others succeed: Many in PR find joy in using their skills to help others, whether promoting charitable causes, supporting small businesses or amplifying voices that might otherwise go unheard.

●????? Recognition and rewards: Successful PR campaigns can lead to professional recognition and accolades, affirming the hard work and strategic thinking that anchors every marketing campaign and business growth overall.

●????? Adaptability: Working in PR hones adaptability and flexibility—skills that are highly valued in today's fast-paced, ever-changing business environment.

●????? Financial rewards: Successful PR professionals can enjoy financial success, particularly those who rise to senior positions or run their own agencies.

●????? Opportunities for global exploration: Companies everywhere need PR. A role in PR could take you abroad, where you can learn from other cultures, shape your world view and deepen your communications toolkit through international perspectives.

●????? Personal growth: The challenges of PR push professionals to grow in areas such as leadership, time management and emotional intelligence.

Seeing you are valued, understanding the impact you make and being grateful in any profession can enhance job satisfaction, improve mental health and foster a positive work environment. In the unique and often high-stakes world of PR, recognizing and appreciating these aspects of the job are tremendously valuable as we forge forth each day to build the reputations of and defend our clients.

Kathleen Lucente, CEO and founder of Red Fan Communications, has witnessed and played a part in the evolution of communications ever since her entrance into the tech industry more than 25 years ago, first as a journalist, then as a PR professional. Nothing if not resolute, Kathleen has acted as a public relations shaman for some of the largest technology companies and some of the smallest, most promising startups during many of the most turbulent times in tech, from the rise of global telecommunications, nanotechnology and personal computing to international mergers, acquisitions and IPOs.