Patricia Zonta

I believe that creative, energetic, curious, friendly, positive, and optimistic people are well-suited to a career in Public Relations. Most often these people would have a flair for showmanship, would enjoy being with people, and would graciously listen to someone else’s point-of-view. 

A person leaning toward a career in public relations would enjoy helping others resolve problems in a factual, objective, and ethical manner, while maintaining high levels of respect, sensitivity, and perception.  That is not to say, however, that any of the other personality descriptions that Dennis L. Wilcox and Glen T. Cameron, authors of Public Relations: Strategies and Tactics, list are less important or less necessary. On closer inspection, I would select as “most important” those traits which are more or less intrinsic to a personality, as we say “born with it” as opposed to those traits/skills which can be learned or developed.

The evidence I’ve found seems to strongly suggest that an energetic, curious, creative personality - enhanced by a graceful, empathetic manner ─ who can balance their coping and persuasive skills and learn from their mistakes in a good-natured way would probably be most successful in a public relations career. A person who thinks quickly on their feet, in a positive way, with a good sense of humour, and quickly absorbs and retains information will rise above the mediocre in the natural selection process.

Someone who is friendly, courteous, respectful of others’ viewpoints while able to persuade others easily, who can keep a conversation going with anybody, who can take frustration and rejection in stride, and who is well-groomed, is innately aware that their outward appearance reflects and portrays their inner-strengths and stamina. This type of person naturally exudes confidence and enables the people they meet to feel confident in their Public Relations capabilities.

A strong determination to complete projects, meet deadlines, and the ability to cope in emergencies, tactfully and respectfully, is critical ─ especially if one wants to build a good reputation in the business. I think PR experts, regardless of how highly creative they may be, ought to be exemplary models of self-discipline, and most importantly be extremely adept at maintaining their objectivity in the most emotionally charged situations.

The Meyers-Briggs Personality-Type Indicator shows that people of the ENFJ (Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging), INTJ (Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging), and INFJ (Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging) types are very well-suited toward a public relations career.

“People of this type …create goodwill and… tend to be: friendly, outgoing, and enthusiastic; affectionate articulate, and tactful; highly empathetic but easily hurt; creative and original; decisive and passionately opinionated, productive, organized, and responsible. The most important thing to ENFJs is their relationships, and the opportunity to communicate and connect with others”.

The US Department of Labor ─ Bureau of Statistics states that,

“Creativity, initiative, good judgment, and the ability to express thoughts clearly and simply are essential. Decision making, problem-solving, and research skills also are important. People who choose public relations as a career need an outgoing personality, self-confidence, an understanding of human psychology, and an enthusiasm for motivating people. They should be competitive, yet able to function as part of a team and open to new ideas.”

Research and timely, considerate, communication is crucial, critical, and vital to optimum public relations work. Also of paramount importance is:

1. the ability to maintain the highest level of personal and professional ethical values even when combating fierce competition,
2. the stamina to follow through on projects,
3. keeping your word, and
4. completing the job even if you have to delegate the work. “The value of a company is measured not just by its balance sheet, but also by the strength of its relationships with those on whom it depends for its success. With the increasing demand for corporate accountability, more emphasis will be placed on improving the image of the client, as well as on building public confidence.” Source: US Department of Labor ─ Bureau of Statistics 

While creativity is certainly the quintessentially innate human trait, the public relations personality ought to be supported by

1. integrity, and
2. emotional, psychological, and ethical muscle coupled with a mammoth-sized sense of humour, and goliath-strength coping skills and social grace. 

In the words of Fleishman-Hillard Canada “We put a premium on the basics of the business – understanding our clients, their businesses, their needs and their objectives. Quality service means being better and doing more than expected.” This is the platinum principle my brother and I learned from an early age while growing up and working in our family-owned business.

By the way, I am an ENTJ type personality – I think a PR career may be a very good fit for me.

Your Personality Type and Job Opportunities in Public Relations Resources

• Determine your personality type
  www.personalitypathways.com
• Resource for finding public relations job opportunities 
  www.prgigs.com

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 6th, 2007 at 8:00 am and is filed under Careers in PR, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.