Use PR Techniques to Advance Your Career

Just as public relations initiatives help companies build awareness, the use of PR techniques can help you achieve your career goals. Here's how to gain career success through personal public relations strategies:

• Seek opportunities to handle projects which will give you high visibility with management, and make sure your performance is top notch.
• Find committees to serve on and assume leadership roles in professional associations in your field or those to which your company belongs, keeping management informed of the group's activities.
• You can also write articles and blogs on topics related to your expertise for your professional associations.
• Hone your presentation skills and get invited to speak before professional and community groups on your area of expertise. Toastmasters is a great way to hone those skills if public speaking has not been your forte.
• Get to know the editors of your internal employee publication and keep them advised of your outside activities or offer to write an article or be interviewed on your department's function and activities.
• Enter competitions if your professional association gives awards and recognition to those who make a valuable contribution to their discipline, etc.
• Volunteer to speak at your company's sales or employee annual meetings if your expertise crosses various operating functions. This will help you build an internal network of goodwill and recognition as an expert in your field.

Practicing positive public relations at work also includes how you relate to and communicate with others at all levels - this includes your manager, your peers and any subordinates. Keep in mind that the "how" you do your job and "how" you behave are equally important in building positive PR. And, in today's work environment, that's more important than ever.

Posted by Louise Garver