Diary of a Pro: PR Girl Manifesto

Today I’m kicking off a new feature for PR Girl Diaries, Diary of a PRo, with one of my #PRGirl inspirations – PR Girl Manifesto.

If you don’t know PR Girl Manifesto, their mission is “to encourage, empower, and equip female PR professionals with the tools needed to succeed in the Communications industry.” PR Girl Manifesto has a strong Instagram and Twitter presence and will be releasing an interactive book early this year.

Let’s jump in!

First, tell us a little about yourself:

Name: PR Girl Manifesto Team
Location: The World of PR by way of New York City
Favorite Magazine (s): Forbes + Vogue

What inspired you to work in PR?

Our journey into PR stemmed from finding a career path in which we were able to help others fulfill their dreams. We see Public Relations as a pay-it-forward field, where PR practitioners are an integral part of the bigger picture. Being able to use words, action, and strategic partnerships to inch someone closer to their dreams seemed like the perfect fit for the team. The work that we do daily is what inspires us to continue working in PR.

How did you get started in PR?

Internships were the foot in the door to the world of PR for our team. The great thing about Internships is that they’re a valuable glimpse into what Public Relations is. They allow you to view first-hand what it means to be a PR practitioner. Once we all got that initial experience as interns at our respective agencies, we just worked our way up. Along the way, a few of us were able to gain experience in other sectors such as event planning and marketing that contributed to our progression as PR aspirants.

What is the best advice you’ve received about PR?

The best advice we’ve received is that PR is an ever-evolving career choice, so as a PR professional you yourself must be ever evolving. Staying ahead of the times is probably the most valuable tip we’ve been given. Understanding that the job description changes as the years progress and being ready for the developments by staying connected has helped us out tremendously.

Another valuable piece of advice we’ve received is that organization is the key to life. As PR professionals, staying organized has helped us achieve so many goals. When people entrust you with something as special as their brands and companies, it’s imperative that things are always in order.

What is a typical day like for you?

A typical day differs from day to day, sometimes our job requires us to be in front of our computers or on the phone all day pitching clients and stories to media outlets. Other times our job means that we’re out of the office all day meeting with editors and/or clients.

Sometimes we’re planning events aligned with our current publicity efforts. The irony is that although every-day is different for us, one thing remains consistent: coffee. Each day starts with a cup of coffee and an hour of shifting through emails.

What is your favorite thing about working in PR?

The endless possibilities regarding what we’re able to do with our role. We are in an interesting age where PR practitioners get to dabble in areas “outside” of PR. We get to be branding strategists, incorporate marketing tactics into our campaigns, double as event planners, etc. Through one career choice, you’re able to master all these smaller skills and that’s something that is enjoyable.

Apart from that, probably seeing the end product of all our individual PR efforts. The wrap-ups are always an enjoyable aspect of being a PR professional because you’re able to look back at what you’ve done and measure the success of it all.

What’s your least favorite aspect of PR?

Sometimes our profession (as most professions) requires us to deal with personalities that are less than favorable. In an industry where you are constantly communicating with others, you’re bound to come across people who are blatantly rude and it happens pretty much every day in our profession. PR is rewarding but sometimes the characters you encounter within the industry will have you reaching for a bottle of wine or a kickboxing class.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

As cliché as it may sound, being able to put this community of PR girls together has topped many of our personal PR highlights. Seeing the feedback from the next generation of PR practitioners is beyond anything that we ever expected. So we’d have to say PR Girl Manifesto is the highlight of our careers thus far, and will probably remain one of our favorite highlights for some time.

What is your dream PR job?

It’s hard to say – I think that most of the team has been blessed enough to experience the “dream PR job” in some form or another. Probably being able to own a PR firm that’s as forward thinking and prestigious as Factory PR or Peoples Revolution

What social media advice do you have for PR girls?

Have a presence on social media girls; we live in a digital age where your online voice is so important to not only your personal brand but also your professional progression.

There are so many opportunities available on the Internet that can only be acquired if you participate in the social sphere. Really maximize the platform that you have, whether it is a blog, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. Use the platform to show who you are as a person, but also who you are professionally. Share your thoughts on your industry; share your experiences as a PR professional or a PR aspirant. All of these things add to your online thumbprint.

It’s also very important to connect with your community; no one has PR girls like PR girls. Take advantage of that; meet women and girls who have similar interests as you. See in what ways you can all progress together professionally.

What is in store for PR Girl Manifesto in 2015?

We’ve got a busy year ahead of us (which we’re looking forward to). We’ve got several projects that we’re working on for our community. We have some great opportunities for our PR girls to get in on the growth of PR Girl Manifesto.

But of course the biggest thing about our 2015 will be the release of the book. We ran into a slight hiccup a few months ago in prepping for our original January 2015 release – but we’ve got faith in the universe that everything happens for a reason and it’s given us an opportunity to incorporate even more into the book. We’ll be announcing our pre-order date really soon which is exciting for us.

What goals do you have for 2015?

Our team goals are to build upon the community and efforts that we’ve already established for PR Girl Manifesto, we want it to be more than just a book for our PR Girls so we’re seeking ways that we can accomplish that creatively.

All in all, maximizing our reach and being able to continue to connect with more aspiring PR professionals and seeing how we can all work together.

What advice do you have for aspiring PR girls?

Enjoy your professional journey as a PR girl, the most rewarding aspect of going from an aspiring PR girl to an actual PR practitioner are the experiences and knowledge that you acquire along the way. Be open to learning from other women; be open to teaching other aspiring PR girls what you’ve learned. Carry that mindset with you and you’ll be able to learn so much about the PR world.