Dr. Lori Baker-Schena’s Seven Skills for Professional Success in the Field of Public Relations

By: Kristine Dizon

September 19, 2016

In case you missed attending the first meeting of PRSSA, Dr. Lori Baker-Schena revealed seven skills to becoming successful in the field of public relations. After sharing her personal history with us about her overcoming naysayers and becoming an independent businesswoman, Baker-Schena shared her seven “keys” to success with the roomful of PRSSA students.

Her advice was as follows:

1. Always be informed.

• This means knowing what is going on around you, whether it is world events or news in the field you are interested in working for.

• She mentioned her personal favorite websites to help students become informed: PR Daily and The Daily Beast.

2. Be responsible.

• Make sure you come to work on time – or early.

• This shows your employers you are reliable, and it helps build crucial work habits.

3. Be ethical.

• This one is straightforward – don’t lie, cheat or steal!

• It’s always wise to tell the truth because media outlets will find it out regardless, and it is never a good scenario to be caught in a lie.

4. Be organized and have great time management.

• Being organized and managing your time efficiently allows you to stay focused and get work done on time.

5. Be flexible and a great multitasker.

• Employers will expect you to juggle projects or clients.

• Being able to multitask and master prioritization will get you far.

6. Adapt to new technology.

• Technology evolves and so should you.

• Social media as a platform is always evolving, so make sure to keep up with it because it will be much different in the future.

7. Be creative and strategic.

• This is the backbone of creating awareness.

• The field of public relations allows you to be creative on your projects rather than use a uniform agenda of writing.

Before Dr. Baker-Schena left she provided an enlightening pointer and said, “It is very important to stand out and embrace your authentic self in this field, know what you are passionate about and raise awareness of this passion.”