Last week I got a chance to sit in Elizabeth Kern’s Intro to PR class while APR certified and current Central Illinois PRSA President Josh Kauffman shared his knowledge. Kauffman has dabbled in several industries within the Public Relations sector. He shared 25 tips to success but there were 10 that stood out to me.
Here are Josh Kauffman’s top 10 tips for getting ahead in marketing/PR
- In order to ask the right questions you need to know yourself.
- You need to know everything from what kind of learner you are to what motivates you to work hard.
- Mentors are instrumental to growth
- We can not be successful without the success stories of others. College students have an advantage. Professionals are eager to cultivate young PR professionals.
- Broaden your mindset
- Open yourself up to new opportunities. This is the prime time to try something new and who knows you may find your life’s calling.
- Every challenge is an opportunity
- Much like a SWOT analysis, we can take our weaknesses or challenges and turn them into opportunities.
- Never stop reading
- Read anything. Read everything. Especially business books.
- First impressions are everything
- Create an elevator pitch, rehearse it, and use it whenever necessary.
- Volunteer
- Volunteering allows you to share your skill sets with others. It’s a win-win for everyone.
- Honesty pays off
- This should be obvious but you can only take credit for your own work. period. Plagiarism is never in style.
- Always work hard no matter who’s watching
- It doesn’t matter what your job is. All that matters is that you work hard. You never know who is watching and what connections they have that could be useful to you someday.
- Believe in yourself
- You can do whatever you set your mind to, but it all starts with having confidence in yourself.
For more information follow Kauffman on Twitter.
By Alexis Smith, Agency Director
