A Soft Skills Guide for New Pros
November 2021
On Oct. 18 during ICON 2021, Mark Mohammadpour, APR, our Workplace Wellness columnist, led a discussion titled “New PR Professional Soft Skills Guide.” It’s a presentation that he recently developed after spending the last two years reflecting on his career journey before launching Chasing the Sun.
Here are a few quick takeaways from the session:
• Keep an active résumé of accomplishments. It’s easier to update your résumé and LinkedIn profile in real-time, not just when you’re looking for a new job.
How? Schedule one hour every month to write down all your accomplishments. Focus on writing your accomplishments using a Situation, Action, Result approach that shows quantitative impact (when applicable).
• Understand that you’re hired to help solve problems. Lean in and offer solutions proactively by showing your critical thinking skills.
How? Instead of saying to your manager: “I need your help. I don’t know what to do,” say, “I’d love your thoughts before I go forward with solving this problem. I think we need to solve it by doing XYZ. Do you agree?”
• Volunteer on a board of directors for a nonprofit, allowing you to gain insights into running businesses.
How? Start with a topic you’re passionate about, and identify local organizations that align with those values. Reach out and ask how you can get involved!
• Prioritize your well-being.
How? One quick way to do so is to schedule your time off proactively. I encourage my clients and workshop participants to take at least one week off every six months, an extended weekend every quarter, and a day or half-day off every month.
His final piece of advice: One of the endless benefits of joining PRSA is the opportunity to learn from each other. Ask any member for advice for starting your career, and you will hear endless examples of valuable thoughts to take with you on your journey.
