The public relations industry is in a state of evolution with increasing social media demands, expanding digital outlets and ever-shrinking newsrooms. No matter the industry landscape, one thing will never change: Building and maintaining good relationships with media contacts will always be the foundation to a great career in PR.
I’m a living testament to that. I started my PR career in San Diego after graduating from University of California, San Diego, but a case of wanderlust and the draw of big-city living pulled me to Chicago. After a great career—but one too many winters—it was time to return to the promised land of San Diego.
How did I approach job searching after eight years out of the market? Thankfully, I kept in communication with many of my San Diego media contacts, even while I was far away and rarely pitching them anything. These reporters became great assets in directing me to the most reputable PR agencies in town. One contact directly dialed up i.d.e.a. on my behalf and set up an interview. [I later thanked him with a large delivery of San Diego’s finest beers].
Even when not job hunting, PR professionals should keep growing their media network at all times.Here are my key takeaways on relationship building:
Four Tips for Building Strong Professional Relationships
Are you a PR person that has tips for building your network? Or are you a reporter that has seen good things from your favorite PR pros? Let us know what has worked for you.