It’s nearing my one year anniversary here at The Red Republic (yay cake!), so I thought I’d share my key learnings on what it takes to make it in this dynamic, challenging and fascinating world of public relations.

Whether you’re a school leaver deciding on a degree to pursue, or simply looking for a career change, here’s five sign’s that PR is your calling:

1.       You love a challenge

At The Red Republic I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by the some of the most dedicated, hardworking individuals in the industry. We never stop believing in what we’re pitching, and immerse ourselves whole heartedly into whatever challenge we are thrown. Working at a lifestyle PR Agency as varied as we are means you have to become an expert on a variety of industries, so at times the challenge could simply be learning the jargon and lingo of your clients’ product – which could be anything from beauty to basketball!

2.       You’re a world class networker

While it is a cliché that PR’s spend their days wining and dining, it’s also a half truth. Our lives certainly aren’t as glamorous as the movies and social media feeds depict – we spend most of our times in front of a computer with our heads down – there are definitely lots of social and work events on the calendar.

Media in Australia is a relatively small industry, and having good connections is always a bonus, not just in PR but also in life. If you’re the social networker of your friendship group, the one at parties who always seems to be introducing everyone, PR might just be your perfect fit. It’s our job to get our clients talking to the right people – whether that be journalists, potential new partners or consumers.

3.       You can multitask like a boss

Whilst this is a good quality to have in life, it is particularly necessary in a PR Agency. Having many different clients all with important tasks and deadlines, means you need to be organised. It’s important to make sure everyone gets the high quality results they deserve. If you’re an expert at diaries, to-do lists and Outlook, you’ve already got some great skills every PR needs to master. Every morning the whole team gets together and organises our day, setting out our priorities and seeing where support is needed (see point 5). Here at Red we love a well organised spreadsheet almost as much as we love cupcakes. And we really love cupcakes.

4.       You thrive on communication, in all its forms

If you have a border line addiction to social media, find yourself always making new friends when you’re in a queue and get excited by a well-written email, then you certainly belong in the world of media. We are professional communicators so it’s important you can express yourself succinctly and effectively.

When you tell a story do you have everyone hanging of your every word? Often times you will have a journalist’s attention for only a couple of minutes, so it’s vital you can get across the main points of your story before they tune out. Good PR’s will have a captivating voice and be able to excite their listener within the first 30 seconds of a pitch.

5.       You love working as a team

Contrary to popular stereotypes, the PR world isn’t as superficial and cut throat as Devil Wears Prada. Every industry professional I’ve come across have been intelligent, hard-working and supportive individuals. They simply wouldn’t survive if they weren’t. The team, certainly here at The Red Republic, but also in the media industry in general, have got each other’s backs. We love congratulating our colleagues when they do well and are there to help out when it’s all hands on deck. I’ve seen everyone from our fearless CEO to the enthusiastic interns all pitching in when there’s a big event or task that needs to be completed. Our recent PRIA award for Best Consumer Marketing Campaign for Suncorp Bank’s Run Positive is the perfect example of a large scale campaign which saw everyone band together as a team to create amazing results.