What women in PR really need
A recent guest post about female public relations pros raised more than a few hackles, so we asked industry veterans to identify their workaday essentials.
A recent guest post on PR Daily by Jazz Chappell titled “12 things PR women can’t live without” attempted to answer this question—and it fueled the ire of many readers.
“Sexist!” “Patronizing!” “Stereotyping!”
My response here is not meant to belittle Ms Chappell’s post. She is a student at Leeds Metropolitan University (as my own father hails from Yorkshire, I do have a soft spot for the region), and the post first appeared on Your Coffee Break, a fashion and lifestyle website aimed at young working women. As a subscriber to this U.K.-based site, I am familiar with her point of reference.
Looking good and feeling confident at work can only take you so far, however, especially in this industry. Female PR veterans know how difficult it can be to work in a field where long hours can lead to burnout and/or fractured personal relationships. To survive goes far beyond having a basic skill set and the right handbag; it’s the intangibles learned only through experience that allow for success and career longevity.
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