Aspiring Public Relations professionals have been urged to develop requisite skills to prepare them for a career in the industry.
The advice was given by speakers at the seventh edition of the virtual Public Relations Students on Campus Summit organized by the Nigerian Women in Public Relations for students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
“ As an aspiring public relations professional, you must develop writing and storytelling skills. PR is all about persuasion. You should be able to communicate your brand message consistently across various online and offline platforms to get your target audience interested’, said Satira Osemudiamen, the Founder of Satira Media & PR.
She added that a good PR professional must be able to research extensively and multi-task.
The two young Public Relations practitioners who shared their career journeys into the industry with the students were Mercy Irivwieri who studied at Afe Babalola University and serves as the Lead Consultant at Rear PR Consulting and Funmilayo Tijani, an alumna of Obafemi Awolowo University, currently the Brand and Communications Manager at Tuteria.
According to Irivwieri, “there are various career opportunities in Public Relations. As an aspiring PR professional, you should create a niche for yourself. You can decide to focus on Influencer PR, Public Affairs, Community Relations, or Executive Branding. In fact, there are several areas of specialisation to consider.”
She advised the students to explore internship opportunities stating that “it is important for anyone who desires to develop requisite skills and expertise in Public Relations.”
“Internships are a great way for you to identify your strengths, weaknesses and what you don’t like on the job,” she said.
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In her contribution, Tijani emphasized the need to hone digital media and communication skills.
According to her, “the Public Relations practice has shifted from traditional to digital. Hence, to succeed in the industry, you must be digital-savvy. Learn about search engine optimisation, social media management, and digital media relations.”
She encouraged them to read voraciously citing industry-relevant blogs and magazines. Osemudiamen then spoke about the importance of public relations professionals in organisations.
“PR professionals play a crucial role across various industries. I refer to them as social doctors, because Public Relations helps with social health. It focuses on when, where, and how you communicate and its impacts on your public perception,” she said.
She encouraged the students to “be open to learning about various topics and issues,” adding that as aspiring PR professionals, they must be aware of everything around them.
Speaking about the Public Relations Students on Campus Summit, Abimbola Fapohunda, a Communications Associate at Nigerian Women in PR explained that “the summit is designed to educate students across the various tertiary institutions in Nigeria about the Public Relations profession and the opportunities available in the industry.”
Fapohunda introduced undergraduates to the Students Ambassadorship Program which she described as an “offshoot of the PR Summit created to identify and engage five female PR enthusiasts in each tertiary institution in Nigeria.”
In these institutions, each cluster Student Ambassador group will support the organisation in the attainment of its objective to educate the public on the importance and relevance of public relations to organisations and the society at large.
She said the Student Ambassadors will hone foundational PR skills that will help them thrive in entry-level PR roles’.
The Head, Department of Mass Communication at Ahmadu Bello University, Dr Shamsudeen Mohammad commended the initiative.
According to him, “the PR Students on Campus Summit is a very good initiative as it helps students further understand public relations and the various opportunities in the industry.”
Previous editions of the summit have been held at the University of Lagos, Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Lagos State University and other institutions.
Nigerian Women in PR, established in 2019, is an independent social impact organisation created to build a robust network of practising and aspiring female public relations professionals of Nigerian descent.
Its aim is to support, inspire and empower these professionals while improving access to career-advancing opportunities. To learn more about Nigerian Women in Public Relations and its initiatives, visit the website: ngwomeninpr.org