In 2016, I had the honour of being recognised in the PR Week 30 Under 30 List and it was an even greater privilege to join the Judging Panel for the 2017 cohort. The PR Week List is a prestigious and globally recognised list which showcases up and coming talent in the industry and for me, it was motivating to experience the range and breadth of talent across the industry.
At this year’s event in London, hosted by Charles Lewington, Managing Director of Hanover Communications and previously Press Secretary for Prime Minister John Major, the evening celebrated the young talent in the industry. There was a real buzz at the event and there was an overwhelming sense of positivity about PR and Communications as a career choice from this year’s 30 Under 30 cohort and I could sense the high levels of passion, enthusiasm and energy they had about their jobs and their own future within the industry.
One element that was absolutely clear is the industry thrives on new ideas, collaboration and creativity, enabling new talent to contribute from day one and progress their career. But with the fast-paced contributions and high-energy of the industry, how does a business harness and retain their talent? How does a new entrant to the industry build their experience and learn more? How does the industry break down barriers and attract and retain a more diverse workforce?
It was these long-term opportunities and challenges that myself and the other panellists provided insight on. More businesses are relying on communications and PR to support their growth, and whilst that offers more opportunities to those in the industry, it also means we have to make sure that business growth and commercial acumen is part of the industry’s DNA and of industry practitioners.
From a career journey perspective, mentoring is often overlooked by many, but has the potential to unlock new opportunities and develop important industry skills. For the PR industry in particular, two-way mentoring is crucial. Industry leaders mentoring new entrants is an excellent way of passing on knowledge, but acquiring the latest insight and behaviours from new entrants is just as important for experienced professionals.
Linked to that is the topic of diversity in the PR and communications industry which needs to get better across the board but we are seeing positive signs of change. In fact, the Panel at the event is a good sign of how far we have come and PR Week’s Women’s Mentoring initiative will add immense value to the industry.
My key takeaway is that the industry is in a position of strength because of its varied career opportunities, highly talented and driven workforce, and its ability to reach beyond borders. Regardless of advances in technology and automation, what’s next for the industry will ultimately rely on its talent. At the end of the day, people buy from people and that is the industry’s strongest asset.
PR Week 30 Under 30 2017 Judging Panel:
- Louise Evans, director of corporate affairs, Sainsbury’s;
- Rebecca Grant, UK managing director and head of consumer marketing EMEA, Cohn & Wolfe;
- Gerry Hopkinson, co-founder, Unity;
- Francis Ingham, director general, PRCA;
- Charandeep Singh, 30 Under 30 alumnus and head of external relations, Scottish Chambers of Commerce.
