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The world of public relations can be an exciting, yet sometimes overwhelming environment considering its fast-paced nature. Just as anyone would be nervous starting a new position, given the climate of today’s workforce it’s understandable that you may feel extra stressed starting a new job.

In fact, a survey by CareerCast found that a Public Relations executive position fell within the top 10 most stressful jobs of 2019. Rest assured, there are specific tips you can follow to feel more at ease when starting a new PR position and the best ways to navigate a new company.

Connect with new colleagues

You just started a new position, so what now? While you may feel like reaching out for help is a burden, taking on too much at the beginning can lead to unnecessary stress.

There are certain skills that PR professionals must have, and taking those a step further by connecting with others within your company can go a long way. Whether you have taken the agency route or a corporate position, there is still much value in getting to know your colleagues. Make it a priority to ask questions and network throughout your day in order to better build relationships. Having a strong foundation with your colleagues can help alleviate stress and make you feel more comfortable asking for guidance.

Take care of your health

Whether you’re working remotely or from the office, it’s equally important to prioritize your health when starting a new position. Public relations entails a lot of frequent communication, which can become very draining if you don’t set enough time aside to take care of yourself.

Take, for example, the amount of screen-time you will likely clock when starting a new position. Everything from orientations, training, to your regular daily tasks means engaging with computer screens in today’s day and age. Although technological advances have greatly impacted the day-to-day of a PR practitioner and streamlined many processes, it also means a constant engagement with blue light.

If you’re like me, you spend far too much time each day looking at a computer screen—even though we know we shouldn’t. This type of light, when overexposed, leads the eyes to experience digital fatigue, vision issues, and can even impact one’s sleep patterns. To promote healthy vision, a better sleep schedule, and decrease the stress of physical concerns, I recent let my optometrist talk me into try out blue light glasses.  These light-filtering lenses not only look cool and protect your eyes, but they can also be combined with prescription lenses for those with vision impairments.

With the nature of the industry today, it’s likely we will continue to rely on screens. Take the necessary precautions from the beginning to protect your eyes and overall well-being in the long-term.

Continue your learning

Just as your new colleagues can be a great beacon of knowledge, taking it upon yourself to continue your education throughout your career can have a great impact on your success and stress levels. Why is this?

Remember, if you stay up to date with client specific markets, you will feel more confident in your speaking and writing abilities. Especially at a new company, staying fluent and knowledgeable of current events can help you stand out and relieve feelings of inadequacy or stress. Great places to start are to check out industry blogs, build up media relations, do research on clients outside of working hours, and follow professional development accounts on social media channels.

Set goals for yourself

An often intimidating task of starting a new role is to think about where you want to end up. Although it may seem like something you should push off, pinpointing exact goals at the start can relieve stress of where you see yourself in the next few years.

Just as a PR campaign has measurable and attainable goals, take this approach with your personal career path aspirations. There are different types of career goals you can set, so find what resonates with you.

There are many different routes and paths that can be taken in public relations, and for some in new positions it can be comforting to have guidance. Setting realistic short and long term goals can help you get a better idea of what side of the industry you enjoy the most and further help you envision where you see yourself thriving in the future.

A new position should be grounded in excitement, rather than stress. So remember a few of these recommendations as you venture into your next career endeavor and best of luck!

Photo by Jason Strull on Unsplash