The PR Club of New England is thrilled to welcome Zak Sos, Account Manager at Tier One Partners and Jennifer Thibeault, an experienced HR leader, for a can’t-miss program entitled, “Staying Competitive in a Changing PR Landscape,” Wednesday, February 12 at 5:30pm. The panel will be moderated by Patrick Nelson, Director of Career Services at Boston University, which is also the location of the event.
The session will explore how to stay competitive throughout all chapters of your career: when you’re first starting out, making a switch from agency to in-house, returning from parental leave, or at other pivotal career transition moments.
In advance of the session, we asked Jennifer some questions regarding skills required, opportunities for growth, setting goals and common career struggles.
What has changed from years past in terms of skills needed for entry level, and what’s to come?
Actually, I believe that schools are doing an excellent job of teaching skills for the workplace. I’ve been really impressed with entry level candidates’ knowledge and background. What I think is at the forefront of recruiting is cultural fit. It has always been there in some capacity, but more and more, I see both candidates and companies desiring a strong cultural fit and not compromising if it isn’t. I would advise job seekers to really examine an organization’s culture and be prepared to speak to how their belief systems are aligned and why they would be a positive impact. Be selective when doing it – find your right fit too!
Any tips for those feeling stuck or who don’t have opportunity for growth?
Yes – find inspiration. Look at what you are good at, what comes naturally, what you love to do and seek opportunities there. Promotions don’t always equal growth. Growth also comes from learning and education. Look for classes and certifications. Eventually, those will carry over to your work.
PR is such a wide field with so many opportunities – what’s your advice on how to choose and/or set goals for the future with so many different avenues?
Be limber – start off as a generalist and learn as much as you can. Do that first and set goals later. You will naturally find a specialty, talent, or direction that you want to go in. Once you do, the right goals will be easy to select and work towards.
What are some key moments in a career path that people often struggle with (like taking time off and re-entering the workforce or someone with a different background wanting to enter into PR)?
I believe the hardest transition in PR or ANY field is the transition into a supervisory or management role. Especially if it is the result of a promotion. The first six months following a promotion can be a difficult time as you adjust to managing others and it often times creates a crisis in confidence – and that is OK! But unfortunately, people often feel they are failing and most of the time, they aren’t. It is just very difficult to make that transition.
To register for the program, please visit here.
Session Overview
February 12, 2020
5:30-8:00
Boston University College of Communications
640 Commonwealth Ave, Room 209
Boston, MA
