Why mentoring is important to the PR industry

I have reached a fork in the road of my career that takes me away from seeing my mentor on a daily basis. With that change I have been reflecting on the wealth of invaluable knowledge that I learned from my mentor. This knowledge is not simply how to craft the perfect press release or pitch a reporter, but how to conduct myself as a professional and the importance of being an eternal student of the trade.

You can spot a PR newbie from a mile away. We can all remember being there. We can all remember the one PR pro who took the time to stop what they were doing, take us under his or her wing, and teach us what we needed to know to become a successful practitioner.

“Being a mentor is about passing down knowledge and wisdom through the generations,” says Angela Betancout of Ambit Marketing. “I will never forget the impact my mentor had in my life and it’s important for me to be a mentor now.”

Remember that someone helped you get started in your career. It is important to share your experience and time to help shape and mold the next generation of PR professionals. By investing time in their growth, we are continuing to develop the trade and instilling in them the values and skills needed to be a “good” PR pro.