If you're new to working in public relations or at an agency, here are some professional tips to help you succeed.

Like many of my colleagues, I’ve spent parts of my career working on in-house PR teams for one company and parts of my career working in agencies tackling PR for multiple clients at once. There are pros and cons to both paths, but something about agency life has kept me here for the last six years. For me, continuously facing new challenges and using different skill sets from day to day (or sometimes hour to hour) is what keeps me inspired. No two days are the same. If you’re new to the PR world or just new to agency life, here are my tips to thrive.

Put on your project manager hat. When I’m asked what I do for a living, sometimes I compare my job to that of a project manager. When you’re executing communications strategies for multiple clients and working with multiple teams, staying organized, on schedule and on budget is more important than ever. Yes, our job is to land media coverage for our clients, but it’s also to support them in meeting deadlines, coordinating interviews and collaborating across teams.?

Stay curious. Having exploratory conversations with your clients about their companies, their industries and what has their attention as of late is often where you’ll come up with your best pitching ideas. There are no stupid questions, and chances are if you’re wondering, someone else is too. Practice active listening and stay up to date on the news cycle and current events. If you come across something that intrigues or surprises you, it might have the same effect on a reporter.?

To-do lists are your best friend. There’s always more work to be done, and staying on top of multiple projects for multiple clients can get overwhelming at times. Find your method of staying organized and stick to it – whether that’s a written to-do list, an app, a planner or the Post-it method. Get ready to master the art of multitasking.

Lean on your team. Know your own strengths and weaknesses, and tap into the expertise of your colleagues to balance out those weaknesses. One of the most amazing parts about working at an agency is the band of PR professionals you have access to. If you don’t know the answer to something or you don’t have experience on a particular project, odds are high that someone else does! I was an independent contractor for years and the number one thing I was missing was the collaboration and teamwork that go along with being part of an agency.

Be humble. I truly feel like I learn something new every day, from both my leaders and those just starting out in their careers. Everyone has different experiences, approaches and ideas that you can find value in. Be open to the opinions of others and never assume you have all the answers. And learn from your mistakes – you will make them!