4 tips to sustain your career growth as a young PR pro

Many in public relations demonstrate abilities right out of the gate through their media relations, social media, research, writing and other necessary skills.

This early success often leads to rapid career growth. However, it’s not uncommon to hit a wall.

Here are four tips to keep in mind as you prepare for the next big career step:

1. Think strategically instead of tactically.

As a junior PR team member, the majority of your day-to-day responsibilities are comprised of tactical work—document drafting, pitching, research, etc. As you work towards senior-level positions, you must be able to transfer the knowledge you’ve gained and put it to use from a project strategy perspective.

It’s important that you seek out opportunities to be involved with strategic planning and development in your current role. This can take many forms, including drafting strategy for an upcoming campaign, identifying new opportunities for coverage, introducing new best practices and more.

The next step in your career will require you to own the success of projects, including staff management, budgeting and strategic counsel. By placing yourself in the shoes of project managers, you can begin honing the skills necessary for success at the next level.

2. Learn to manage others.