Is Public Relations REALLY the Seventh Most Stressful Job in America?
by LPR on January 5, 2012
Earlier today, CareerCast released the results of their annual survey of most stressful jobs in the United States, with public relations executive listed as the seventh most stressful job:
1. Enlisted military soldier
2. Firefighter
3. Airline pilot
4. Military general
5. Police officer
6. Event coordinator
7. Public relations executive
8. Corporate executive (CEO)
9. Photojournalist
10. Taxi driver
Looking at this list, I refuse to view the public relations profession as a truly high-stress calling.
Chalk this up as another case of making a mountain out of a molehill.
Throughout a career that’s spanned more than 30 years, it seems that the public relations profession as a whole – if it’s even possible to apply such a sweeping label — has been good at creating causes. Early in my career, it was “PR for PR”, probably best referred to as “The Shoemaker’s Kids Syndrome.” As time progressed, the campaign shifted to “getting a seat at the executive table.”
Today, it’s about how our work is going to shorten our longevity and unduly deprive professional communicators of an ultimate quality of life, however that might be defined.
Aside from our professional cousins – the “event coordinators” who actually reduced our stress-out factor a bit by taking the number six slot – I feel a bit like a guy wearing wing-tips to a reunion of the Village People. Soldiers, public safety personnel and pilots all make sense to me, as well as taxi drivers… though, by extension, that should include those who ride with taxi drivers.
Prior to visible events, such as the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl while on assignment in the Middle East, I might have questioned photojournalist, but no more.
But, public relations professionals?
We do not cure cancer. We don’t routinely rescue babies from burning buildings. We do not make decisions in an operating room at 3 a.m. Our job is to support those who make these sorts of decisions… and thousands of less significant ones… every day.
I believe that most of us prepare for our career with solid textbook teaching, and then build on this core with strong life-lesson ‘continuing education’. We are called upon to take actions that have real implications for our employers or, in the case of LPR, clients. For example:
Yesterday, we announced a change in media relations practices on behalf of one of our clients — a decision aimed at improving their business by reducing noise and focusing on what’s important in their business.
For another client, I helped revise messaging on a major policy change that previously had not been well received by the company’s most important audience.
“Off the clock,” I recently tag-teamed with my public relations professional/daughter in helping very close family friends manage communications in the murder of their daughter, a case that continues to be under investigation by authorities.
In each case, our job was to make things better. It’s what we’re paid to do.
A word to the students who read the article in either extreme horror as to their career choice or thinking they had just signed up to be a modern day mercenary. Our job is to work our way up into the role of trusted advisor to one or more organizations, where we take steps every day to manage and mitigate the issues that otherwise put us in front of a global microphone at times of challenge or disaster. While prudence says we should prepare as if an organization’s very existence depends on us, practice says we should surround and be surrounded by colleagues in a wide range of disciplines and areas of subject matter expertise.
Dismissing the silliness of ranking our jobs at the same stress level as others on this list, the one aspect of the article I appreciate is the opportunity to thank those who truly risk their lives for the safety of us all. They deserve all the appreciation for a well-earned label of stressful career.
Richardson Real Heroes Seeking Selfless Residents
by LPR on January 4, 2012
For more information:
Blake Lewis
214-635-3020
blewis@lewispublicrelations.com
(contact information for news media use only)
Richardson Real Heroes Program Seeking Selfless Residents
Call for entries honoring silent generosity in the City open now through February 12th
RICHARDSON, Texas (January 4, 2012) – With the start of the New Year, a group of Richardson volunteers has begun the process of soliciting nominations for the third annual Richardson Real Heroes Award.
The Real Heroes Award was created in 2010 to draw attention to individuals who give of their time and talents for the betterment of the Richardson community.
According to Chelsea Schmidt, 2012 Richardson Real Heroes chair, the selection process for this year’s group of finalists and the ultimate Real Hero starts with the all-important nomination.
“From the first two years of the program, we’ve learned that the most critical – and, yet, most challenging – aspect of the program is surfacing nominees,” said Schmidt, a paramedic currently attending nursing school who personally has served in a number of volunteer capacities. “The committee knows that thousands of people throughout the City of Richardson are making a difference in seemingly countless ways, but the humility that frequently accompanies these volunteers makes it challenging to get their nomination. That’s why we’re working to encourage anyone in Richardson who is aware of someone who are silently generous with their time and talents to go online and make a nomination.”
Criteria for selection of the 2012 Richardson Real Hero include a review of information provided in each nomination, initial assessment of all nominees by the selection committee, an individual interview between each selected finalist and a member of the selection committee, and popular votes garnered online.
In 2010, a group of ten finalists were interviewed by the inaugural Award committee, from which two award winners – Courtney Scott and George Jones – were named. Last year, six finalists were chosen, with Lisa Rees selected from among them for the 2011 award. All selected Real Heroes and each year’s finalists have been recognized for their contributions at receptions held annually at the Richardson Civic Center.
This year, nominees must again represent one of two different categories for entrants:
• Richardson residents who provide unpaid service in an exemplary manner inside or outside of the City
• Non-residents who volunteer their time and talents to benefit Richardson community members
Additionally, candidates should not have received prior recognition for their efforts in the recent past. Public sector employees are eligible only if the qualifying activity occurs on personal or unpaid time. Past and present elected officials cannot be recognized for any activity.
Volunteers can nominate themselves or be nominated by another member of the community. According to Schmidt, the selection committee invites both self-nominations and nominations submitted by another member of the community.
Nominations are now being accepted online at www.richardsonrealhero.org, with the process open through Sunday, February 12. Public voting on the nominees will begin on Friday, March 2 and will close at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 6. Finalists and the winners will be announced at a special reception to be held in Richardson on April 19.
For more information or to nominate a candidate for the Real Heroes program, visit www.richardsonrealhero.org.
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PR Resident: Being a Better Employee in 2012
by LPR on December 29, 2011
This time of year, everybody starts talking about their New Year’s resolutions, and how to start off fresh on Jan. 1.
I remember when my family used to gather around the dining room table on New Years Eve, and my mom would pass us each a piece of paper and a pen. I also remember writing down items like “keep my room clean, make more time for health and exercise and keep my grades up.”
As much as I’m a relative newcomer to the business world, I think the organizations of all sizes could benefit from gathering this sort of basic ‘resolutions’ view of their world from team members at all levels as part of planning for the new year. Businesses are collectively about increasing revenue and expanding client bases, but individuals oftentimes ignore or don’t think about how they could make a difference in their business as an individual, and this seems to be undervalued by business leaders, as well.
The right mentality comes when you think “how will (insert improvement here) contribute to my work environment?” Every day is full of assignments, meetings, phone calls, email exchanges, etc., but we don’t take a step back too often to simply ask ourselves how can we better our agency or business?
At LPR, we’re focused on outcomes. We want to generate the best results for our clients as possible. There’s always room for improvement, and here’s a list of a couple ideas to potentially incorporate in the corporate version of New Years’ resolutions:
• Think more consciously about how your time spent is impacting your organization as a whole, especially when factoring in your clients or customers
• Think more critically about how you can improve your work, especially if one or more practices are not generating desired results
• Think more carefully about how you make daily decisions, especially when these decisions and the reasoning behind them will make a big impact
I think the business world, in general, has become too complacent with how things are. What if more individuals chose to be proactive, taking on some responsibility of improving the business in which they work in 2012? Think about how things could be.
Clean TEAM Initiative: Alon Brands Recognizes Engagement
by LPR on February 10, 2012
While one of the big buzz words was “sustainability” in 2011, this year already appears to be the year of engagement… with peers, co-workers, customers and others. From creating desires to visit a FINA/7-Eleven convenience store to extending the customer experience beyond store doors, LPR client Alon Brands illustrates engagement at its best through its Clean TEAM initiative.
Clean TEAM recognizes and awards FINA/7-Eleven stores for clean and attractive facilities, as well as top-quality customer service. This program goes the extra mile in recognizing the hard work and persistence it takes to make a store customer-ready.
On Thursday, Feb. 2, a group of Alon Brands employees and FINA/7-Eleven store managers and employees gathered across the street from store #51703 on Menaul Blvd. in Albuquerque to honor winning store manager Christina Lopez. Joined by Trudy Jones of the Albuquerque City Council and Joy Davis of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, company leaders recognized and spoke about the importance of well-run and well-stocked convenience stores to the community.
At the end of the event, Christina received the keys to a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. This presentation is, in itself, a form of engagement. The award sets the standard for other FINA/7-Eleven stores to strive toward, as well as reinforces the engagement demonstrated by Christina and her teammates.
Going beyond the Clean TEAM event, Alon Brands sponsored a Customer Appreciation Week at all the company’s stores in Albuquerque during the week of the Clean TEAM event, providing customers with discounts and giveaways. This is another form of customer engagement, a key element to creating brand relationships.
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Whether you’re a store manager organizing your employee’s daily assignments or a store employee making sure the store is ready to deliver an over-the-top customer experience, engagement connects everyone together.
Food for thought, from the public relations perspective: The realm of public relations works the same way: employees, professionals and clients are all connected through engagement. Without the buzz word “engagement” in the public relations profession’s vocabulary, our job would cease to exist.
Electrical Improvements Providing Pump Stations with Enhanced Dependability
by LPR on December 28, 2011
December 5 Update
This week, Irving Flood Control District Section III continues work on preliminary site improvements involving electrical service at the District’s Valley Ranch pump station.
Recognizing the appropriateness of conducting a thorough evaluation of equipment and facilities that were developed more than 25 years ago, the District engaged engineering firm Freese and Nichols, Inc. last year to assess the existing electrical system at the pump station at the Southeast corner of Valley Ranch. Given the age of the equipment and changing electrical codes and best practices, Freese and Nichols recommended replacement and installation of new Oncor-supplied transformers, as well as replacement of switching equipment used to control the large pumps. The firm also recommended several associated civil and electrical engineering improvements at the station.
“This is a major capital improvement initiative for our District, creating greater redundancy in sources of power for operating pumps and other equipment, while paving the way for installation of a back-up generation system for the pump station,” said Kim Andres, Irving Flood Control District Section III president. “While many maintenance and management projects conducted by IFCD 3 are visible to the community – such ascanal maintenance to manage water levels throughout the system – others are less evident. Updating power systems for the pump station certainly is one of those unseen initiatives of great importance to individual and business residents of Valley Ranch.”
A final upgrade to the pump station as recommended by the District’s engineers is the installation of a back-up electrical generator to provide further level of electrical system redundancy. Several options are being considered for this project, which is currently planned for the 2012-2013 fiscal year.
Communities In Schools Dallas Region Benefits from $500,000 Donation from Procter & Gamble
by LPR on December 2, 2011
News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Claudia Mideo ClaudiaM@cisdallas.org
November 22, 2011
Communities In Schools Dallas Region Benefits from $500,000 Donation from Procter & Gamble
DALLAS – Communities In Schools Dallas Region (CISDR), a nonprofit dropout prevention program, announced today it is the recipient of a large in-kind donation by Procter & Gamble (P&G), which is sponsoring Communities In Schools at the national level. Approximately one-third of $500,000 worth of products donated was directed to 28 Communities In Schools affiliates in Texas, including Dallas.
The P&G donation to the Dallas Region, picked up on Nov. 2 by CISDR program support staff, included 18 pallets of Puffs Tissues, 650 two-bar packs of Olay soap, 1.5 pallets of Crest sample size toothpaste, 2,500 samples of Pantene shampoo, 1 pallet of Tide laundry detergent and 1.5 pallets of Duracell AA Batteries.
“These products come at a critical time for many of our students, helping support them and their families as we enter a holiday season where household budgets can be particularly tight. Having basic toiletries and supplies can make a difference to the students and families we serve,” said Sandra Chavarria, CISDR president and CEO. “We’re grateful to P&G for assisting in our mission to help students stay in school and achieve in life.”
The donation caps off a larger scale national relationship between Communities In Schools and P&G. In July, the two organizations launched the GIVE Education campaign to generate additional awareness of America’s dropout crisis. In total, the effort has raised close to $1 million in cash and product for Communities In Schools.
CISDR program support staff and AmeriCorps volunteers distributed the supplies to CISDR campus staff, who provided the items for school children and families at their assigned campuses.
For years, P&G has improved life for more than 300 million children around the world and focused its efforts on helping children in need get off to a healthy start, receive access to education and build skills for life. Through GIVE Education, P&G touched even more lives by combining the power of P&G’s education commitment and reach, CIS’s innovative programs, and Grammy Award-winning recording artist and philanthropist John Legend’s passion for education.
About Procter & Gamble
Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B(f), Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 135,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.
About Communities In Schools Dallas RegionCommunities In Schools Dallas Region, Inc. was founded in 1985 to address the growing number of high school dropouts in Dallas and surrounding areas. As experts in collaboration and in providing comprehensive case-managed services, CISDR’s professional staff brings community resources into schools to work in the interest of at-risk children in a coordinated, caring and cost-effective way. Currently, CISDR operates in 75 schools in 10 school districts in Dallas, Collin, Ellis, Hunt, Johnson and Rockwall counties. CISDR’s programs have a direct impact on more than 47,000 students annually. Nearly 80% of the students served by CISDR are economically disadvantaged and at-risk of academic failure. According to the Texas Education Agency, of the 12,148 case managed students, 99% stayed in school, 93% of eligible seniors graduated and 95% improved in academics, behavior, and/or attendance. For more information about CISDR, visit http://www.cisdallas.org.
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PR Resident: Her First Job
by LPR on December 1, 2011
After eight months of sitting on my couch, surfing the web for jobs, filling out applications, waiting for the phone to ring, interviewing for entry-level positions, I finally landed my first full-time job as PR Resident. Experiencing some of the most frustrating moments of self-doubt and uncertainty in my life led me to where I am today.
Before landing this job, I went through a period of questioning if I chose the right major and career path. I would ask questions on a daily basis – Why haven’t I heard anything back from XYZ company? Did I make a good solid first impression in the first interview? Will tomorrow be the day I get a great job offer?
I believe everything happens for a reason, and there’s a reason I’m sitting in the LPR office today, working on media relations and daily assignments.
I’ve been working at LPR since early September, and every day has been a valuable learning experience. I never know what to expect when walking into the office in the morning.
Going into this job with three internships at nonprofits, I wasn’t completely sure what the agency environment would offer. Ultimately, I wondered how I’d handle my first job.
The elevated energy level in the LPR/everitt office keeps me on my toes at all times, never knowing what kind of client’s assignment will roll in. Through comments and critique on my assignments, I’m able to improve and shape my writing and communication skills.
Since I graduated from the University of North Texas nearly a year ago, I could see my future, but it was more like visibility on a foggy day. I knew where I wanted to go, but couldn’t see how to get there. College doesn’t teach you everything you need to know to walk in the door 100-percent prepared on your first job, but it does provide a firm foundation of education to keep building upon as your resume expands.
I’ve learned a lot in this position, hands-on application of college studies. Some of the lessons include:
-Keep learning and moving forward; don’t get caught in reverse or park because of complacency with where you are.
-View every work day as a brand new day, a chance to learn something new and make improvement.
-Take criticism and edits with an open mind; don’t be scared of the bleeding pen.
LPR has been a great starting point for my career, and I look forward to seeing where this experience will take me.
On Penn State and its future
by LPR on November 16, 2011
There seems to be no shortage of opportunities for public, media and community relations pundits to opine about what should have/could have/would have happened in any given crisis.
Generally, I choose not to participate in these conversations. As an issues and crisis communications counselor, I know that those on the outside rarely – if ever – have all the facts of any given situation.
Yet, my world and Penn State intersect on several fronts. My father served on their management continuing education faculty for nearly 20 years. It was on my short list of universities where I considered pursuing my collegiate studies. Family and friends list the University as their alma mater.
Most importantly, the Penn State situation presents a powerful opportunity to address one of the most essential pieces of counsel available to us all: No matter the situation, the best option is to do the next right thing.
By and large, most adults in positions of leadership and responsibility today know right and wrong. Unfortunately, the increasingly complex world in which business and our larger society operate provides no shortage of situations in which our moral compasses can be rendered inaccurate, much as placement of a magnet near an old school compass alters its accuracy.
Reading the armchair opinions of many who comment on horrible, man-made situations, it’s easy to get the sense that following the guidance provided is simple and, clearly, the idea of doing the next right thing could be viewed as another similar installment. It’s not. Doing the next right thing – and appropriately communicating it to key audiences and constituents – involves balancing facts, perceptions, emotions, personal and institutional rights… all against the far-too-frequent first reaction to duck, cover and spin.
Like removing the errant magnet, the opportunity exists to re-true seemingly impossible situations by honestly – and, sometimes, painfully – asking that very question “What is the next right thing we can do?” While doing so can’t change history nor necessarily fix the broken, it provides the first credible points on a roadmap to righting wrongs and healing people… and institutions.
We’re Hiring!
by LPR on July 25, 2011
IMMEDIATE OPPORTUNITY
** Post-Graduate Public Relations Intern **
Lewis Public Relations is now accepting applicants for a paid public relations internship in the agency’s North Dallas office. Interviews will begin August 1 with the successful candidate joining the team in mid-August.
Responsibilities
- Write for a wide range of communications outlets, including traditional media, social media and the web
- Develop and maintain media lists
- Identify and manage editorial calendars
- Develop and use pitch materials to create or respond to media opportunities
- Participate in agency/client brainstorms
- Monitor and track media
- Develop and maintain clip reports
- Participate in team and client meetings
- Assist with research for new business opportunities and client presentations
- Execute administrative project management responsibilities
Minimum Qualifications
- Recent college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, public relations or related field
- Experience in one or more previous public relations internships
- Excellent written/verbal communication skills
- Flexibility to work on a variety of projects
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office; entry- to intermediate-experience in social media and media list management applications; capability to apply AP style to writing assignments essential
Future Opportunity
The successful post-graduate intern will be encouraged to apply for a staff position at the conclusion of the internship program.
Application Process
Applicants should send a cover letter and resume to recruiting@lewispublicrelations.com. Interviews will be held via the telephone and personal meetings in Dallas, Texas. Application deadline is 5 p.m. August 5, 2011. Applicants must be available for a minimum of 10 consecutive weeks to be considered. No phone calls, please.
About Lewis Public Relations
Lewis Public Relations delivers public, media and community relations programs and services to a wide variety of clients and subject areas, including agriculture, association management, nonprofit organizations, real estate, risk management and insurance, technology, telecommunications and transportation. For more information, visit www.lewispublicrelations.com.
Five Ways to Optimize Your Website’s SEO
by LPR on July 6, 2011
Great things came out of the Lunch ‘n Learn that we organized for our extended office team last week featuring search engine marketing consultant Anita Pinkerton.
Anita, who used her experiences in large corporate and agency environments to form an entrepreneurial SEO/SEM consultancy, shared some valuable trends and tips during our session.
Here are a few highlights:
1. Keywords Are #1
Identifying and using the right keywords throughout website content continues to be the number one rule for on-site optimization. When writing site content, select two to three keywords per page to incorporate throughout the site.
2. Take Advantage of Online Tools
Many online tools exist to identify the most appropriate key words and phrases to choose when optimizing a website. While some require significant investments, a few free tools to check out are Google Keyword Tool and SEO Rush.
3. Think Like Your Target Audience
Finding keywords that perform in the right client context is the most challenging part of the task; it’s essential to balance corporate branding and positioning terms with how your target audience would think to search for you.
4. Monitor and Analyze Data
The sequence of keywords searched will continuously change and so will search engine capabilities and methodologies. Make sure to monitor keyword rankings and site traffic. Google Analytics is a great and free tool that provides site data that you can review and analyze to maximize site traffic.
5. Content and Web Developers Must work Together
While front-end content is king, it must share the throne with developers of the back-end code that delivers the site; use of all the key structural attributes of a Web page – key words, page titles, headers and even the naming and configuration of the site’s structure – can improve or detract from search engine performance.
We all came away with a refreshed appreciation for what happens behind the curtain of key search engines… perspective that will help us better serve our clients. Any additional SEO tips you would add to our list?
