Sitting among hundreds of other college students listening to the closing remarks of a commencements speech, today seemed like a vision so far in the future, I wasn’t sure if I would ever make it. And by the word ‘today,’ I am referring to completing my first year of work in the public relations field. My first 365 days have been challenging and demanding, yet rewarding to realize that I am pursuing a career that I truly enjoy.

Although I am still learning new skills and techniques on a daily basis, I would like to share a few things I’ve learned throughout my first year that may be valuable to some recent graduates taking their turn on the path of uncertainty following graduation and beginning their journey in a communications career.

1) Make yourself available to be a ‘Jack/Jill of all trades.’ Instead of working to earn a high grade from a professor, you are now working towards earning respect and appreciation from your colleagues. Demonstrating that you are multi-talented and able to complete a variety of tasks allows you to get involved in more projects than if you limit yourself to one particular skill set. Personally, I enjoy being able to work on a variety of projects every day. I may start the morning reviewing media clips, draft a press release in the afternoon, and finish the day by preparing or reviewing a new business proposal. I can never say that my job is boring.

2) Communication is key. It’s ironic that being a graduate with a communications degree, it would have taken some time for me to learn this, but maybe I was just ignoring the obvious. Ask questions when you aren’t sure of something and speak up if there is a particular account or project to which you would like to contribute. Just by asking, you open the door to working on a campaign you thought you would only be reading about when it was complete.

Communication is also fundamental to building solid, trusting relationships with your clients. Interaction with clients through words, writing, and individual actions all contribute towards your professional relationship. You want your clients to view you as a trusted partner who plays a key role in meeting their communications goals.

3) Know your audiences. Knowing and understanding your audiences and meeting their preferences are key to unlocking loyalty. A reporter will be much more likely to stay on the phone with you if you demonstrate some knowledge about past stories he/she has covered and are pitching something that would actually be of interest to their readers. Listening to your clients and co-workers to understand exactly what they expect of you and what details are most valuable to them will allow you to focus your energy on completing a task correctly and efficiently.

The list could go on and on with lessons that I’ve learned in my first year on the job. The three listed above represent what I consider to be some of the most valuable, because I incorporate them into my work on a daily basis. I look forward to the new experiences and challenges sure to be included in Year Two!

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