Turning Your PR Expertise into a Skill for Life

It’s New Year’s resolution time and one of mine is to hone my PR skills not just on the job but also outside of work. While some may feel the workday starts and ends with work, I’m excited to try more “off-the-job self-training” by using my public relations skills in my day-to-day life. What I've learned is that the same principles that help brands thrive can help us achieve our personal goals, strengthen our communities, and open new doors of opportunity. By applying these principles, I am more engaged in my ‘9 to 5’ and my ‘5 to 9’ pursuits.  

So now that New Year’s Eve is almost here, in case anyone wants to jump on this “off-the-job self-training” program with me, here are some tips I’m keeping in mind to fuel this resolution.

Master the Art of Strategic Planning

Need practice planning a campaign, mapping out timelines, or project managing to elevate yourself in the workplace? Applying project management principles to travel plans offers a compelling case study. This past summer I was fortunate enough to take advantage of Ruder Finn’s hybrid work policy and network of global offices to plan a trip across Europe where I was couch-surfing between friends, family, and festivals. To successfully work remotely with my teams while considering different time zones, connecting travel, and time off, I presented my manager with an initial proposal including internal and external deadlines. Once approved, I moved forward with planning out my trip day by day, as well as setting personal and professional goals. Between the logistics of planning how I was getting everywhere, sorting out accommodation, balancing my budget, keeping on top of work, and monitoring my personal social media campaign (A.K.A my Instagram story) my ‘PR brain’ was well and truly scratched in a way that invigorated me and inspired me to bring new organizational systems to work.

Try treating your personal projects like campaigns by setting clear objectives, creating timelines, and measuring success. These skills that I was already developing in the workplace massively helped me organize myself and my life in a way that achieved a definitive goal – I got everywhere I planned to go, with a couple more trips thrown in, I networked among new groups of people and made meaningful connections, and got to work with our UK team in the London office. If you need some inspiration and want to flex some planning skills outside of work, I urge you to plan something for people who will love and enjoy it – the rewards are boundless.

 Uplift Your Community with Communications

As we in the industry know, the communications function is essential for all businesses. Outside of work, I look to my network to see where I can use my public relations skills as a resource for community building. 

For example, this year I helped support my friend who was putting on her photography exhibition. I helped her strategize a social marketing campaign to get the word out to the local artistic community, design flyers, do in-person canvassing around the neighborhood, complete press outreach, and support event management on opening night. The opportunity to see my friend realize her creative vision, and to be able to apply organizational, communication, and crisis management skills to a project I cared deeply about was very rewarding.

Another outlet for applying communications skills is volunteer work, particularly through mentoring or becoming involved in programs that support students looking to enter the industry. I recommend the New York Women in Communications (NYWICI) group, which has a host of volunteer opportunities, events, and networking events. I am a proud member of this group and have taken advantage of Ruder Finn’s volunteer policy to give back to this community.

As a big believer in ‘paying it forward’, utilizing existing skills within your community can have a significant impact. Even small actions, like encouraging friends to post their updates on LinkedIn, proofreading resumes and cover letters, or brainstorming a social media strategy with a friend over lunch can increase your breadth of experience, keep key skills sharp, and uplift those around you.

Cultivate Curiosity

I have found that much of public relations work is something that you learn on the job, and staying ahead means staying adaptable. As someone who has had experience across healthcare, technology, and executive communications, I have found that by following my natural curiosity I have been able to carve a distinct career path. I believe that developing a healthy relationship with curiosity is essential for personal and professional growth, as it helps you to explore and continuously learn.  

I am lucky enough to be part of an agency that celebrates and uplifts employees for learning on the job, innovation, and experimentation. Recently, I utilized our continuous learning stipend to take an introductory graphic design class at the School of Visual Arts. Sparked by a curiosity to enhance my ability to produce well-designed marketing content, I was able to hone my skills in Illustrator, practically experiment with them, and develop a portfolio. This experience has been invaluable as I continue to create graphic content for our marketing team and refine the creative skills I use in my personal life.

As we step into 2025, I challenge you to think differently about your PR expertise. These aren't just professional tools – they're life skills that can help you plan more effectively, connect more deeply, and grow more intentionally. As I look ahead to next year, I’m thinking about which skills I want to develop further, who I’d like to collaborate with, and what is keeping me curious. I hope you join me in resolving to go beyond being a PR professional this year and consider how to be a strategic communicator in all aspects of life!