PRBreakfastClub

[...] a comment » Inspired by this post at the PRBreakfast Club, I’ve been thinking more and more about the various job functions I [...]

I would add magician to this list. Anyone else feel like they have to pull off the impossible and make it look like you did it effortlessly?

In professional auto racing, we also sit in the race car while the crew members practice pit stops. We sit in the car and hold the brake as the driver is typically maxed out on extra time in their schedule. This is sometimes a welcome change and entertaining especially when you're sitting in pit lane at the Indy 500, the world's largest sporting event.

Some roles to add to this excellent list: financial advisor, babysitter (in every meaning of the word), miracle worker, marital/parenting counselor, mascot (yes, mascot), speech writer, photographer, medicine cabinet (I fondly remember the time I carried Pepto Bismol for a celebrity) and chauffeur.

Plus, there was the time I climbed up a 100-ft rope ladder while wearing a full suit to make sure a camera crew got footage of SOMEONE riding a zipline.

Oh…and the time I was offered something…er…someone…who worked for a minor celebrity associated with a major star. (I declined…add “Moral Compass” to the list!)

Excellent list! I would add something like defense attorney, cause I always seem to be defending the value of PR.

Excellent post. Only two that come to mind that haven't already been mentioned are English teacher (no, that's not a word!) and Cheerleader.

Ha! Yes! To add to that in a way: (say it with me) “Shoot, I forgot my crystal ball at home today.”

That is commitment!

Hmmm, I'm thinking of the role of “supervisor to your life” would be one I'm slapped with every once a while.

Mike you have those?

I would like to add hot dog/sunflower seed gopher and second Mike's mascot act. Ask me about being a duck.

Overall this is a solid list of hats we all wear.

Obviously, the “offer” can't be described on such a fragile place as the Internet.

I am going to have to pester you about that….

Boys – keep this space clean. I'm talking to you Jeff. Stop egging Mike on.

This is awesome! I'm working on a similar post about how PR students are capable of so much more than just PR because of the skills we acquire in school. PR is a great degree to use as a foundation to tailor a resume to any number of opportunities in this tough job market, making it that much easier for us to apply or education and succeed. My favorite skill mentioned here: Chef

This is awesome! I'm working on a similar post about how PR students are capable of so much more than just PR because of the skills we acquire in school. PR is a great degree to use as a foundation to tailor a resume to any number of opportunities in this tough job market, making it that much easier for us to apply our (oops, typo) education and succeed. My favorite skill mentioned here: Chef

That's why I'm “3Hats Communications.” One of my clients even remarked that I actually wear more hats than that, but yeah.

So many good ones here. One big one I'll add is firefighter or crisis manager. Some others: designer, webmaster, meeting planner, sounding board, editor, “bad cop” or the one who has to say no, point out what's not a good idea or a real story and speak truth to power. Heck when I worked the 1996 was also a crossing guard, posted yard signs, all sorts of things.

On the flip side, I always say that anyone who deals with customers, vendors, key publics also wears the PR hat, regardless of job title. FWIW.

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As a crisis counselor, I'm often the “paid pessimist.” I'm often tapped to see if company initiatives or promotions won't pass the “sniff test” against the public's expectations.

[...] post yesterday from Kate Ottavio at PRBreakfastClub on the different hats PR professionals wear throughout the course of their careers.  Yes, we do have to be master networkers and teachers, as [...]

Great post! “Therapist” really resonates with me. I would emphasize the role communicators play in managing “culture,” whether that is keeping the troops together during difficult times or (clandestinely) helping a co-worker spiff up their resume if it's time to go.

I've been talking to my students about these extra jobs communicators hold quite a bit over the years. I tell them that they have to be “the smartest person in the room,” because of all these “hats.” No one else — outside the CEO/Chairman — really has this much responsibility.

The notion sits well with students and helps build their confidence.

Although I enjoyed your column, I make a plea to all PR professionals to please stop using the cliched phrase “wears many hats.” The first two items on PR Daily that I read today use this phrase. This column and the announcement about a new contributor: “Jackson Wightman wears a number of communications hats.” This really upsets my stomach.

I would add “stand-up comic” to the list. Sometimes PR meetings with clients can get tense. (Really??) Having a good sense of humor helps.

Carmela, you're right. We'll watch our usage.

Michael Sebastian
PR Daily

Great blog post. I shared it with my entire PR team today. Keep up the great posts.

Ryal
MMI Public Relations
Raleigh, NC

@ryalcurtis
@MMIPR

My apologies. I offer you some Pepto and in the next instance I want to use the cliched expression, as a pageant queen, I will say “wears many crowns.” Thanks for your comment.

Hmmm, how about…Creative Director/Executive Producer/Set Designer for video shoots/tv? Translator to help client/other spokespeople learn to speak without jargon, speak clearly and in sound bites for interviews? Juggler to multitask all the time with all those projects? Fed Ex Delivery person for delivering all on time? This is fun

Statistician! ROI is important to clients and we often help parse the statistics to understand whether what we're doing is working and how to tweak it to make it even more effective.

Re: Being a mascot while working in PR. Yep. Been there, done that. Not a whole hell of a lot of fun, but interesting to say the least!

I was Banana Man! one summer while interning in minor league baseball. Long story …

[...] Not “just a PR professional” [...]

[...] Not “just a PR professional.” Kate Ottavio offers a few other titles you can add to your resume [...]

[...] Not “just a PR professional.” Kate Ottavio offers a few other titles you can add to your resume [...]

[...] a T.  Or does it just barely fit the bill?  Certainly it doesn’t pass muster to encompass all that we do, but it’s a pretty hefty [...]

This is so interested! Where can I find more like this?

I'll back again for sure, thanks for great article

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Public relations has always been about going where the conversation is and adding value to it. Today, it’s no longer just newspapers and magazines. It’s also of course Twitter. Here are some tools that I advise our teams and clients at Edelman to use.