Used to be, PR pros were called only after a marketing campaign was fully baked and asked to knock out a press release and work with the media to get the message out. No longer. These days, the currency for communicators lies in strategic decision-making, as indicated by PR News’ 2014 Salary Survey.
According to the survey, strategic decision-making (90.8%) and collaboration (86.5%) are the top two skills that PR pros should bring to the table in order to advance in a company or organization, with all-too crucial listening (56.5%) coming in third. Those skills reflect the skillsets cited in the 2013 study.
The study, which was distributed in December 2013, garnered a total of 1,051 respondents, representing a wide swath of industries and PR disciplines.
When it comes to some of the key “soft” communications skills/attributes needed to advance in an organization, the survey uncovered two dichotomies.
For example, while purchasing patterns increasingly reward those companies that give the most back to society, social responsibility was one of the least important attributes cited in order to advance in an organization (22.1%).
What's more, despite a widely held perception that the PR industry has a somewhat tortured relationship with ethics, having an ethical outlook was cited as the least important attribute needed to advance in an organization (17.4%).
What do you think are the most important PR "soft" skills needed to advance in a company or organization?
Learn more about what communicators are earning by ordering a copy of PR News' 2014 Salary Survey and Benefits Report, Vol. 4.
Follow Matthew Schwartz on Twitter: @mpsjourno1
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