We all know there are good PR Pros and there are the “other” PR imposters. These imposters go around selling our profession short of what it is and throwing mud on the industry name. It is hard to show that you are not one of “those” to a reporter, client or boss who has been burned.
“Professionals have credentials and others merely have titles such as Vice President,” says Jeffrey Geibel, APR, Principal of Geibel Marketing and Public Relations. “An APR is a transportable credential such as an MBA. It goes with you, unlike a title.”
The APR is a hit or miss topic for PR pros. Some are die hard that you have to have it and others are waiting for the raise and the promotion to come along with the hard work that it takes to be accredited.
Here are 10 reasons from accredited PR Pros of why putting the time and effort into earning your APR is worth a second look:
1. Provides a higher level of professional credibility and distinction- it sets you apart from the crowd at work and in the job market, Gretchen E. Fri, APR, InfoCision Management Corporation
2. Familiarization with current public relations standards, updates and processes, Ed McMasters, APR, Flottman Company
3. The APR preparation process itself is an eye-opener to the breadth and depth of public relations as well as the important aspects of public relations as a management function, Christel Hall, APR, PRowrite Public Relations
4. APR accreditation means the practitioner acts competently and ethically in dealings with clients, news media, customers, community members and others. That’s what gives our profession credibility- the only currency that really matters, Chuck Williams, APR, Providence Health & Services – Oregon
5. The APR process increases your strategic thinking to research/ planning/ implementation/ measurement/evaluation for projects small and large, making you a more efficient and valued PR professional, Rodric Bradford, APR, CAN National Warranty Corporation
6. Differentiation- with only 2% of public relations practitioners being accredited- sets you apart, Jeffrey Geibel, APR, LEED-AP (BD+C), Geibel Marketing and Public Relations
7. It comes with a fantastic network that enables you to pick up the phone and find out how things are done or get some help in a far-away place, Doug Fenichel, APR, In-House Public Relations
8. Opens up opportunities for speaking, teaching and other experiences that might not be available without the credentials, Stacey Doss, APR, SDDPR
9. Accreditation shows that you are serious enough about your job to seek and obtain a higher professional standard, Dianne Danowski Smith, APR, Publix Northwest PR
10. Experience the incredible satisfaction of receiving an envelope with APR after your name and know you’re joining a group of professionals committed to ongoing professional excellence, Heather Morgan, APR, Children’s Home Society of Florida
At the end of the day no PR Pro has extra time to take on what is basically a college course. But sometimes it takes motivation from within to want to achieve the industry standard for excellence as determined by a rigorous vetting process by other PR professionals.
“Obtaining your APR is personal achievement,” added Geibel. “When it is all said and done- a badge of accomplishment. No excuses.”
Do you have what it takes to stand out?
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