I was prepping for potential future interviews earlier this week, cup of coffee in hand, coming up with questions that hypothetical future employers may ask me, and planning accordingly (nerd life).
What are your strengths? Check. What are you weaknesses? Check. Do you work well with others? Check. Why do you do public relations? Uncheck.
I’m glad you asked that question (yes, I’m now talking to myself).
Why do I do what I do?
Why do I practice public relations and advertising? Why do I spend my time caring so much about what people think, read and do? Why do I devote hours creating and implementing perfectly crafted images, brands and strategies for companies just so other people can buy, care or think about them?
I didn’t know.
A few weeks prior, after a long day at multiple jobs and internships, I was talking to a family member about what I want to do with my career. I told them I didn’t know if I wanted to do PR anymore at all. Why? I didn’t know if I wanted to spend the rest of my life crafting things to make people see my clients and me a certain way. It’s sometimes shallow, unauthentic.
Wrong.
Let me backtrack. I was always someone a bit confused about my life and what I wanted to do. I took different classes, developed my own set of values that I live by (or make an attempt to) everyday and learned about different industries.
The only thing that really excited me was listening to others speak about their passions, their aspirations.
I believe that passion is the root of all greatness. Passionate people drive programs, companies, advocacies and businesses that are changing the lives of others, changing communities and changing the world.
Brilliant people are doing brilliant things daily, good people are doing good things constantly and difference is being made everywhere you look. So, what if no one sees? Or what if people see, but it is isn’t communicated effectively and accurately? Well then it won’t be shared, if needed it won’t be helped, it won’t be donated to, it won’t be enjoyed-it ultimately won’t reach it’s full potential. In some cases, it won’t matter. And that, is a tragedy.
Oh, that’s why I do what I do.
Enabling others to live out their passions and succeed in their field is what drives my passion for creative public relations and advertising. I get to help people succeed in what they love and show the world how great they are everyday. I get to work with clients and help them build an image to create something that is perfect for them, for me, for their audience and for their success.
Authenticity should not be compromised. PR allows for a genuine portrayal of a person, idea or company to the public. It is not shallow, and it is certainly not unauthentic. It simply allows for real people and companies to put their best foot forward, to reach their potential and to be the best they can possibly be.
I don’t care what other people think. I don’t need to force anyone to like me or anyone else. That’s not what it’s about. It’s about showing others that what people do matters. Why what people are passionate about is relevant. Why real things, real causes and real people matter in a fast-paced world that does on occasion care more about how many “likes” their selfie got on Instagram than about the few other things in the world that are a little more important than that.
COFFEE AND A KEYBOARD 