By: Leah Packard
Whittney Beech is the public relations manager at First Fidelity Bank. Although she has been working with the company for less than a year she already has many responsibilities but loves the fast-paced nature of public relations. “Every day is different, something that I love about PR,” Whittney said. “I usually handle all of my e-mail in the mornings, hold or attend meetings, move to event coordination in the late morning, copy editing and writing in the early afternoon, and any budget items in the afternoon.”
Whittney advises public relation students to really focus on what you like about public relations when choosing a job. “Every job is different, so know what it is you will be doing before you accept a position,” she said. “If you don't like media relations, don't take a job that requires you to go on camera. If you don't like event planning, don't take a job that has more of a marketing focus. Just know what you want and find a job that compliments your style.”
She also has some words of wisdom for upcoming public relations specialists based on her own experience. “One thing I wish I knew before starting out in PR is that although you may have a great idea about how to handle a public relations situation, someone you work with also has a great idea,” Whittney said. “Counseling in PR is not like counseling a friend going through a difficult time, you have to build trust and report with those you counsel before it can be effective.”
Whittney believes that public relations is already such a versatile and changing field, but the future will being even more technology and social media into the field. “Public relations is absolutely headed towards social media,” she said. “Over the next twenty years, PR will become extremely focused on reaching audiences through social and interactive media. Though this trend has already started, PR professionals must become well versed in social media strategy and language to achieve success with younger generations.”
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