Remember Samantha? The PR professional from the popular ‘Sex and the City’ TV series? Television often portrays unrealistic characters and as a viewer, we set expectations that are far removed from the truth. Samantha Jones is one such character, whose portrayal of her profession is nowhere close to how it actually is. (The bubble is about to burst.)
Samantha is often seen traveling to exotic locations for work. On the regular, the only travel we do is to the photocopy machine! (Sob)
While we do get opportunities to travel, it’s never how it’s portrayed on the screen. Chances to fly business class and stay in expensive suites are few and far between.
Designer clothing is what Samantha dresses in but it’s not how a typical PR Professional dresses every time!
Will it be Givenchy or Chanel today? Fortunately or unfortunately, we don’t spend our time deciding on the latest designer wear, because the initial days allow for bare necessities and a little more. While we dress in our best, we certainly aren’t shelling out as much as she does. (We have bills to pay!)
Her inexhaustible client list is what PR dreams are made of but in reality, we are constantly busy tracking down people!
Hanging out with celebrity friends and dealing with the likes of them doesn’t happen often. Neither does dialling a number and getting a client on-board. It takes time to research to understand the people we want to work with and even longer to form connections with them.
Partying? What’s that? We are up late writing pitches and chugging copious amounts of coffee.
If you got into PR thinking that you’ll be invited to extravagant lunches, you are in for a big surprise! In time, you’ll realize, PR is rarely about being out every day and partying the night away.
No work and all play, makes Samantha a PR Professional!
Never do we see her struggling at work or putting in hours. Her days go by, sipping cocktails at the most lavish party she just threw. In reality, we spend our time working and tackling the occasional crisis. Don’t let ‘Samantha Syndrome’ catch you and have you believe otherwise!
At its crux, PR is about strategic planning, conceptualizing, brainstorming, writing and enjoying the whole process of it. That moment when your campaign goes live is inexplicable and so is the feeling when your client gets good press! Now that we’ve burst your bubble, enter the industry with the right information and expectation for a fulfilling career.