A recent applicant referred to a writing assignment routinely given to prospective agency employees as a “stress test.” She apologized in advance for her lack of writing know-how by saying she had hoped to become a broadcast journalist so college writing courses were of secondary importance to on-air technique classes. Not so.
Writing is critically important to a successful PR career.
That point was driven home last week when I spoke to Sandra Allen’s PR class at Chicago’s Columbia College. Afterwards, a student asked me if he should take an additional writing or another PR strategies class in his final semester. Without hesitation or knowledge of his skills, I said he should take the writing class. It will provide significant advantages over other graduates, many of whom struggle when faced with writing tests. Professor Allen said she wished that I had made that point to her class since she is a major proponent of strong writing skills as being essential to future PR leaders. I fully share Professor’s passion for the importance of writing skills as stated in her Platform Magazine article entitled “The Rigor of PR Writing.”