M A R K L I V E S R E P O R TS
CAREER GUIDE 2021:
Advertising, marketing & PR
EDITORIAL
A DVA N C I N G A C A R E E R I S A H A R D S L O G
made more difficult by the uncertainty wrought by the novel coronavirus and resultant lockdowns, and an economic environment that declines further with every wave of the pandemic that hits South Africa, or its trading partners. Still, we all fight on and, thanks to some sound advice from some of those leading recruitment efforts in the South African advertising, marketing and communications sectors, building a viable and sustainable career in the advertising industry is more than a reasonable proposition. From getting started in the industry to what employers are looking for in new hires (craft, thinking laterally and ambition), the importance (or not) of a focus on digital skills, revolving doors and whether they’re a bad thing, our guide to building a career in either adland or the marketing world (or across both) aims to offer job seekers insight into what their interviewers are looking for in making the decision to pick you over the 2 000 other CVs (true story) on their desks.
— HERMAN MANSON
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B U I L D I N G A S U S TA I N A B L E C A R E E R IN ADLAND Our guide to creating a lasting career in adland,
INDEX
with advice from those doing the hiring. B U I L D I N G A S U S TA I N A B L E C A R E E R IN MARKETING Our guide to creating a lasting career in marketing, with advice from experienced marketers. B U I L D I N G A S U S TA I N A B L E C A R E E R I N P R /CO M M S Our guide to creating a lasting career in public relations, with advice from experienced execs.
E D I TO R & P U B L I S H E R Herman Manson
ID, PLEASE
E D -AT- L A R G E & P R O D U C T I O N E D I TO R Simone Puterman PA R T N E R S Retailing Africa, Ramify.biz R A M I FY P R O D U C T I O N Lunga Biyela GRAPHIC DESIGN Juan Ignacio Papaleo Copyright © 2021 MarkLives (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved.
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BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE CAREER IN ADLAND OUR GUIDE TO CREATING A LASTING CAREER IN ADLAND,
with advice from those doing the hiring.
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GETTING INTO THE FIELD, from diplomas to internships
What are the routes to a career in advertising that agency HR execs value? There are different paths but most people will start with a bachelor’s degree in advertising, communications, marketing or a related field which can provide a foundation in the creative, management, interpersonal and analytical skills required to work in the field, says Esnath Simon, Wunderman Thompson South Africa group senior HR business partner. “Most will then follow this with an internship and then an entry-level role before finally specialising in a field of interest out of the eight broad areas: new business, account services, planning, creative, production, interactive, media and social media.” Khanyisile Mathang, M&C Saatchi Abel Johannesburg HR manager, offers several tips for those newly entering the industry: as an intern, rotate through departments to have an understanding of what each department entails and figure out whether it’s something you would find an interest in; and use the power of social media and get in contact with not only HR professionals but the people who work at the agency that you would like to work at. She subscribes to the mantra of KNOW. LIKE. TRUST. “Do we know you? Do we like you? Do we trust you? You don’t have to have all three,” she says, “and having all three is often difficult if you’re new to the agency or the industry, but finding inroads to help grow these helps.”
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Finally, she notes that “receiving a formal education from advertising schools fast-tracks your entry into the industry, but this is usually helpful for when you know what you would like to specialise in. Tertiary institutions have also played their part by introducing workplace learning, which allows you to complete your practicals in order to obtain your qualification and allows for agencies to retain fresh talent.” Gillian Rightford, Adtherapy MD, advises candidates to ideally have a relevant undergraduate degree or diploma, or a strong portfolio of creative work. “If you want to get into account management or strategy or media, it is useful to have a business degree with marketing, but also degrees in social science, anthropology, psychology are useful. Some agencies (not enough) offer internship programmes and that’s really the best way to get started, if you can.” WHAT AGENCIES are looking for
According to Peter Khoury, TBWA\ Hunt Lascaris chief creative officer, creative agencies are looking for people with talent in their craft and the ability to think laterally; the most important characteristic is attitude in terms of ambition and self-motivation, he adds. “Data and tech are trying to woo us into thinking that they should be the centre BU I L DI NG A SUSTA I NA B L E CA RE E R
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of gravity but, eventually, every company will have access to similar data points or tools and then the sea of sameness kicks in. I am always looking for people who collide old ideas into spectacular new ideas — this is your most powerful ability and asset when it is informed by data, strategy and insights, and it solves business problems.” Over at M&C Saatchi Abel, someone outside of just the traditional advertising hard worker is looked for, says Mathang, in order to build a diverse pool of people from a variety of backgrounds and interests. “[W]e want individuals who will express their views and opinions in a constructive way…,” she says. “You also need to have a ‘love what you do’ attitude and allow yourself to be open to learning and growing.” Faith Ramuhala, Publicis Groupe Africa talent partner, says the network wants candidates with a willingness to excel, creative mentality (regardless of role) and who can work under pressure. According to Simon, Wunderman Thompson seeks candidates who’re able to focus and deliver, are resilient and dedicated, are great communicators (team players and communicators who can work with people of varied skillsets), and think local on a global scale. They should understand different consumer groups, be curious, be willing to become uncomfortable, and have a growth mindset. “Relevant experience, reliability, loyalty and the same end-goal in mind” are all important to recruiters says Bronwen Davison, WinWin International marketing manager and former Ad Talent recruitment
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specialist. “[Agencies] are looking for candidates who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get the job done. In this current environment, they would be looking for flexibility, adaptability and proactivity.” And what are candidates looking for in terms of the agencies they want to work for? An investment in mutual success, great mentors and accomplished supervisors, an environment that will challenge them, and a culture of diversity and inclusion, says Simon.
STANDING OUT from the crowd
Tammy Lehnberg, Avatar South Africa head of HR, notes that many agencies these days don’t have the luxury of big HR departments; for many, it’s a one- or two-person show. “When we advertise for a role, we get hundreds of CVs; the last round we did, we got over 2 000 CVs. Now imagine one person... having to sift through that amount of CVs. If you have not caught my eye in the first 10 seconds of opening your CV, I move on. Long gone are the days of 10-page CVs — maximum two pages but one is better. And don’t be afraid to be creative; we are, after all, in the creative industry.” Remember, too, that HR will scroll through candidates’ social media profiles during the final stages of the interviewing process, says Mathang; “therefore, it → BU I L DI NG A SUSTA I NA B L E CA RE E R
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is crucial to ensure that you represent yourself well on social as it could be one of the determining factors of whether you receive the role. Does that mean you can’t show you have fun? Of course not, but just be conscious of what you put out and what that says about you.” Also ensure your CV is up to date and relevant to the position that you’re gunning for, she says, although it’s also important to highlight your breadth of talent. Finding a mentor to help guide and navigate through the industry is important, she adds: “And there are many who are open to helping and offering advice, particularly about specific disciplines or within specific agencies.” Prior research on where you apply to is advantageous, notes Ramuhala, as is showing the willingness to subscribe to the company vision: “Always stay ahead of the curve by upskilling yourself, keep apprised [of] agency trends locally and globally, and always learn more and advance personal skills.” Although digital experience is incredibly sought after at this time, “companies also like people who are multiskilled, such as a hybrid of traditional and digital, or a multimedia creative. Basically, companies want bang for their bucks, so the more skills someone brings to the table, the better their chances of being chosen,” says Jacqui Loudon, Ad Talent consultant. “Awards are always a selling point but a quality portfolio or showreel (that is regularly maintained) should be every creative’s top priority.” “You’re living in the most fragmented and mixed-media time that there has ever been,” says Khoury. “You need to learn how
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to do more things and understand how they work. You may be exceptional at one particular something like writing, where you can go deeply into your craft. But you need to be able to do more in this day and age, things like editing, photography, illustration, animation, making music, writing code, etc. You don’t need to be the best at these; you just need to be able to do them to some degree. Your work will be better for it. Your adaptability will make you an asset, especially if you’re exceptional in more than one thing.”
RESOLVING the revolving door
The revolving door that seems to exist at many agencies is an issue both for employees and employers. What needs to change in the advertising business for this issue to be resolved? “Talent is what drives ad agencies so, ideally, talented and committed people are strategically more important to the agency,” notes Simon. “The agencies with the best people are the ones that will do well on the market.” To fix the agency revolving door takes leadership, mentoring and coaching, training, variety, growth, challenge, respect and money. “Great ad people value good leadership and like to win, so they are looking for leaders who will help them achieve this but also bring balance into their work lives,” she says. “There is →
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a need to ensure employees understand that they are not viewed as just an interchangeable production tool. We see that leaders [who] continually provide growth opportunities for their people, and challenge them to actually grow, create more stable teams.” Industry leaders, she continues, need to make proactive efforts to pass on their knowledge and skills to the next generation of leaders: “This should be understood as a long-term process that requires patience from agency leaders. If you think of great advertising people, you will tend to find that they had great mentors. All good professionals need intellectual stimulation to continue improving their craft.” According to Faye Ross, Ad Talent lead creative recruiter, agencies need to pay attention to the reasonable needs of their employees. “The industry is notorious for paying creatives badly. They also need to stop ‘glamourising’ overworking — this is a huge reason why agencies lose excellent creatives. Overtime should be paid for. Creative burnout is real and, when an agency gets a reputation for being a sweatshop, it’s a hard one to shake.” “The revolving door is never a bad thing, especially in the advertising industry — even though it’s a huge industry, the market place is actually very small, and candidates are also individuals who have their [eye] on career paths and aspirations,” says Warren Volkwyn, The Talent Boom global creative recruiter. “So, they might be doing really well at one agency, and contributing meaningfully, [then] another opportunity might arise, and they move on — and then, sometimes,
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they go back to the agency they left after some time. It’s just the nature of the beast. Most agencies take care of their employees really well but, of course, individuals’ needs change together with their lifestyles so, more often than not, a business doesn’t always cater to the individual needs. I think that one of the most important things for both employers and employees is transparency; if things aren’t being delivered as promised, or you’re just not in it anymore, you should feel free enough to have [these] conversations, and take it from there. Sometimes, the problem can be easily addressed, and works for both parties; other times, that might not be the case. Honestly, transparency is the key, as is awareness of your own blindspots.”
TIPS FOR BUILDING a sustainable career
“Try not to job hop, especially with a sideways movement,” advises Davison. “If you are going to move, try and make sure that the move is upwards and that you will be learning new skills in your new role. Build and sustain good internal and external relationships. Always leave a company on good terms.” Says Loudon, “Be as selective as possible about where you choose to work; your portfolio will only be as good as the clients you have. Loyalty is important but do not stay in one position for so long that you stop learning and growing. →
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TIPS FOR BUILDING a sustainable career (cont.)
Upskill yourself constantly, and explore a variety of skills if you can.” “Keep learning — ask for a mentorship with a senior person, build relationships across the functional areas in the business — ask questions, learn — read,” Rightford encourages. “Sign up for the best newsletters: MarkLives, Adweek, Campaign, Cannes. Study advertising. Watch Mark Ritson, Scott Galloway; sign up for conferences. Read the best books on brand building, advertising, creativity, data, consumer behaviour. Get stuck into your client’s business. Understand how their consumers buy. Ask questions. Network in the industry. Connect with people on LinkedIn. Be seen. Have an opinion.” She also recommends attending trade shows, many of which are now virtual, event openings (ditto) and meeting people when it’s safe again to do so. “Don’t wear a chip of entitlement on your shoulder; there are literally thousands of talented young people out there,” adds Lehnberg. “Be prepared to put in the hard work and miles. In my years in advertising, I have seen how people try and move too quickly from one agency to the next in pursuit of titles and money. I guarantee you, you are going to crash and burn or, worse, find yourself on the wrong side of poor performance hearings. Make sure you have mastered each part of your KPA
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before moving onto the next level of your career and never be ignorant of your own blindspots.” “Moving around, especially when you are young, exposing yourself to different company cultures and different ways of working and thinking can open your mind,” says Khoury. “But choose wisely. At the beginning of your career, it must be all about working under the best people, even if that means working somewhere for longer than you thought you wanted to. For example, earning less money in a high-performing creative company will set the foundation for you to earn more in the long run, because you’ll grow into someone [who’s] damn good and wellrounded because you learnt from the best. If you went to a mediocre place for more money in the short term, your career will probably plateau because you’re surrounded by and are doing mediocre things every day. You may not even rise much further than where you are, or you →
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TIPS FOR BUILDING a sustainable career (cont.)
may even get disillusioned and take on another career. Don’t have goals to be an ECD or CCO by 30; rather try to be the most fulfilled creative that you can be. If you’re a maker, make more interesting things, be like plastic. Or you can be like water. Bruce Lee would tell you to be more like water. “In this industry,” he continues, “the most-effective creative leaders are the ones who immerse themselves [in] the strategy and business of advertising as much as they do in the ideas. They are the most effective because they know how to sell ideas so [they become] real. So, don’t ignore that side of the industry for too long. The sooner you understand the way it works, the more powerful you become. “Lastly, it’s a small industry, so don’t be a dick. The likelihood of you working with people again and again is very real — you don’t want old baggage weighing you down — you have bigger, more important things to worry about.”
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BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE CAREER IN MARKETING OUR GUIDE TO CREATING A LASTING CAREER IN MARKETING,
with advice from experienced marketers.
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M ROUTES TO a marketing career
Marketing is a broad term and too many people jump straight into the advertising and promotional side of it, says Graham Deneys, Carat SA/SSA group strategy director and Red & Yellow Creative School of Business guest lecturer. “There are other key fundamentals, like product, price and place, that all form part of the broader marketing mix,” he says. “Take time to decide whether you want to operate across the full mix or perhaps specialise within one of these elements, as each discipline can have a plethora of career options attached. With this said, I am a huge advocate of marketing well-roundedness, as all four Ps do not operate in silos and are designed to complement each other. To be good at one, you need to understand the role of the other three. Make sure you understand how all elements work together, regardless of which direction you are thinking of going in.” According to Shaadia Vawda, CMO of Honoris United Universities, a panAfrican network of private higher education institutions, digital skills are important but increasingly so too are fullfunnel digital skills, especially in sectors such as fintech, edtech and telecoms, where you need to convert the sale and keep the consumer surprised and delighted at each leg of the consumer journey. She believes empathy is hugely important, as is curiosity, which helps unlock the insight — the why behind
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what people do what they do. “Marketing is about addressing unmet needs,” she says. “To do this, we need to be interested in our consumers’ lives, and increasingly be that consumer. Champion the consumer. Get to know your consumer well enough that you can be her advocate and guardian. Do right by her/him/they, and you’ll never go too far wrong.”
“SOLID understanding”
David Wingfield, Absa managing executive marketing, doesn’t think there’s a better route into marketing than through the traditional branded house FMCG giants. “They give you a solid understanding of the entire spectrum of what it takes to develop, manage and market different brands to different audiences,” he says. “I have seen plenty of people who have come through services and related, but I think they lack the breadth of understanding that makes a good marketer and, even worse, they are probably beaten in the boardroom about the brand and marketing drag on the budget! FMCG (in general) value brand; they spend the money, they have purpose, and they offer you technical and market breadth and depth. I have, however, come across some cracker prospects out of agencies but normally they are strategists, not just able to →
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execute on a campaign — any mug can do that.” Wingfield himself spent five years in FMCG and 13 in advertising. Many entrants into the career market, says Mandy Waddington, ooba head of marketing, opt to do a generalist commercial qualification with marketing as a major. “While no education is a waste, I firmly believe that, if a person wishes to become a marketer, they choose a diploma or degree (minimum 18 months) that allows them to immerse themselves in all things marketing. By this I mean economics is interesting but consumer behavior or marketing strategy or digital marketing are far more useful, when it comes to learning and [the] understanding of marketing, than generalist commerce subjects with a marketing major.” She feels that, without the proper educational background, short courses of 2–3 months offer little value. She also believes young marketers need to be open to explore all areas of marketing and view the first 3–4 years post degree as an extension of their education. “[T]ry to gain as much experience where possible, even if it’s scanning, emailing and opening and closing job bags,” she says. “There’s no quick fix here.”
you practical experience that give you an edge in interviews,” she says. “A career is a long-distance marathon and not a 100m sprint. What you do at the outset is an interview opener.” She recommends digital marketing and design thinking routes as they’re a growing trend, and points out that there are sub-segments emerging all the time, so there’s always hyper-relevance (such as growth marketing). “STILL NEED kick-ass marketers”
“[W]e as a marketing industry get obsessed about the channel (digital) but we still need kick-ass marketers who are curious, hungry to unlock insight and understand what developing a brand is about,” she says. “If we become channelobsessed, remember we still need a brand, proposition and offering to market in those channels, so traditional marketing roles must not be underestimated. As the digital marketplace becomes cluttered, the marketers [who] will emerge strongest, fittest and having the most fun will be the ones where the brand has A FOOT carved a distinct place in heart and head in the door of the consumer.” Marketing is about both strategy and “We can, of course, discuss routes but execution, not one or the other, she says. people must remain dogged at getting “Consider the ‘why’ as much as the ‘what’ their foot in the door — any door,” notes Vawda. A degree/qualification is an invite and the ‘how.’” Continuous career development is to the party, an enabler — and that’s key — but whether you dance/get asked to dance also important, says Di Charton, Red & Yellow head of programme. “The best at the party is another story, she says. advice is to adopt a growth mindset and “Vacation work and internships are always stay curious. The job landscape critical as they open a network and give → M AR K L IVES R EPO RT
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will continue to change and to evolve, and so it is important to embrace constant improvement. Building a solid set of skills at the outset will ensure that job seekers have the foundation to build a career that can grow and change over time.”
“UPKEEP is important”
Her advice is echoed by Vawda: “Let’s use the analogy of a car or a house. It all looks great and shiny at the beginning but upkeep is important, else it diminishes in value. Same here: let us think that selfinvestment and continuous learning is critical me-time. But this is why curiosity is key, as I called out earlier. The curious marketer is learning without trying every day. They [are] reading, listening, studying, observing, doing short online courses. “What I’m saying is that learning does not need to be formulaic. It can be anything from a three-year BCom degree to reading a blog about Gen X culture, chatting to a peer from another community, and yes, even trying and failing forward. In every try, there’s a learn; just try.”
WHAT TO LOOK for in an employer
So, what are marketing recruits looking for in terms of the organisations they want to work for? A flexible work environment and an employer that allows you to maintain a healthy work/life balance sit high on the list, says Charton. “A 2020 global remote working survey, by Buffer and AngelList, stated
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that 98% of people indicated that they would like to work remotely at least some of the time,” she continues. “Young graduates are also very aware of purpose and are looking to work for companies that have a focus on giving back. They want to be able to make meaningful contributions — both within the workplace [and] the broader community. They have grown up understanding their voice and want to be in an environment where their voices are heard and they believe they can make an impact.”
WHAT TO LOOK for in candidates
What are marketers looking for when appointing candidates to their departments? Waddington says she would look for a graduate with a 2–3 year specialised marketing degree or diploma behind their name, rather than a BCom marketing or BA marketing. They would need to have a thorough understanding of all areas of marketing and would be willing to immerse themselves in a generalist marketing environment to gain experience. Add to that an ability to write well and formulate opinions supported by evidence, computer literacy, enthusiasm, open-mindedness and a willingness to do their time in the trenches. “You cannot fast-track your marketing career without a thorough understanding of all areas of marketing,” she notes. Vawda says marketers would do well to “double-click into humility a bit, please. Good ol’ fashioned values. You’re not superior to your ad agency, the → BU I L DI NG A SUSTA I NA B L E CA RE E R
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procurement department, the factory team lead or anybody else. And you’re certainly not better than your consumers, the very people who actually pay your salary. Everyone plays a part in bringing the brand to life, and no one succeeds without help.”
TIPS
To build a sustainable career in marketing, she offers four tips that have served her well:
requiring a wider set of skills to reach today’s hyper-connected, time-conscious and savvy consumers, acknowledges Prakash Patel, ForKeeps app CEO. This is further complicated by an everchanging political, environmental, social and technological landscape, requiring a thorough and balanced perspective of business strategy at both micro and macro levels.
• Don’t step away from hard work. Step into it and grab it by the throat. • Every leader starts in the trenches. You gotta do it to master it. • Great challenges make life interesting and overcoming them makes life purposeful. • Work a level up. You can’t get promoted if people don’t believe you can do the job. Do the job, before you’re hired to do it.
“DIVERSE ARRAY of skills”
“To meet these challenges, marketers now need a diverse array of skills,” he says. “They need to be analytical and pragmatic in their approach, strategically and creatively minded, data-driven, interpretation-thirsty, innovative and Candidates must have an inclusive brave, agile and adaptable. They need to approach and be able to collaborate with constantly ask why, and then have the others, says Pride Maunatlala, LifeCheq ability to solve the problems they face.” chief consumer officer and an independent Marketers have to have many qualities, advisor on brand and retail strategy. “Not like any job, he says, but the most extroverts but collaborators, an important important qualities include leadership and distinction. Candidates who can manage management skills; courage (to be brave themselves. Those with the ability to enough to take calculated risks within simplify complex information. Attention reason and within the organisational to detail is valuable. Lastly, optimism — culture); being a strong communicator you will need it.” and a strategic thinker; the ability to She believes a good marketer has balance the short- and long-term strategic both a sense of empathy and of curiosity: requirements of the business and brand; “The ability to apply empathy gives good and the embracement of creativity (must marketers insight. This is valuable for your have original ideas, be innovative and be work and for managing your career. Great able to see today’s world through the eyes ideas come from curiosity and the desire of the consumers). They must also be digital to learn more.” savvy, analytical and data-proficient, as well The challenges of a marketer have as adaptable, resilient and inquisitive (ask become more and more encompassing, the right questions and be curious). →
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“DIVERSE ARRAY of skills” (cont.)
Wingfield looks for people who can think strategically, and notes that, if you can see the world as the consumer you are outside of the office, this is a good start. New marketers need the ability to explain how marketing success equals commercial success, be creative in solving problems and have a well-rounded marketing degree with a good smattering of social science. If you can’t write a brief in five lines, he won’t hire you — and, yes, expect this assignment when you interview with him. Ultimately, your job as a marketer, he says, is to help find solutions to business challenges; it’s not to develop marketing campaigns.
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BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE CAREER IN PR/COMMS OUR GUIDE TO CREATING A LASTING CAREER IN PUBLIC RELATIONS,
with advice from experienced execs.
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A GETTING INTO the field
Almost everyone we interviewed for this story started their career as something other than a PR practitioner. They began as journalists, or in business — even in IT. Even those few who landed their first job in the field thought they would be something else initially, be that an entrepreneur, lawyer or writer. This is either the most unrepresentative sample in the universe of samples or PR isn’t a career prospect that attracts as much interest as it should or could. It also says that it attracts a range of talent and, if not a first choice, many of those it pulls into its orbit find fulfillment they couldn’t in other career choices. “My first choice of study after finishing high school was business management; I had never planned to be in the PR space,” says Mkhuseli Vangile, Dynaste Communications Firm director. He enrolled for the Unisa course while working as a packer at a food retail store but had to drop out midway because of financial constraints. His journey into PR was kickstarted when he headed back to Unisa on advice from his sister, Nokubonga Ndinisa, who was Harmony Gold communications manager at the time.
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TAPPED network
Cheryl Reddy, Eclipse Communications managing partner and Africa lead, began her work life as a journalist, and quickly moved up the media ranks to become an editor at the age of 23. When she decided to leave journalism, she tapped her network of PR contacts to get feedback on their personal experiences in the agencies she wanted to pursue. After picking two to apply to, she landed an interview at Ogilvy Public Relations, where she would be employed for close to seven years. Moliehi Molekoa, Magna Carta MD, wanted to be a lawyer, having loved reading John Grisham’s legal thrillers and feasting on legal dramas like Law & Order growing up, but “my mom discouraged me from going the legal route as she said there is nothing in my genetic makeup that’s suited for that industry.” She studied PR instead, and has been in the industry for 20 years.
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ENTRY INTO the field
“The most obvious route is to study further in PR or corporate communications — but this should not limit your thinking and opportunity,” says Dustin Chick, Razor managing partner, who started his career as a junior intern at 702 Eyewitness News. “For me ,the starting point is actually a personality type: are you curious — resilient — and do you know what is happening in the world around you? The qualification is only a ticket to the game. I would strongly recommend that potential PR professionals make the effort to engage agencies and corporates, find ways to spend time in the trenches — put your hand up and get your hands dirty.” Yolisa Pasipanodya, Meropa Communications MD (who started out wanting to pursue a career in journalism), believes the best route into the industry is to secure an internship. “This can be done at an agency, a corporate organisation or even a government department. There is a huge gap between what is taught at university and what is actually expected at the workplace. Practical, on-thejob training is the best way to fully understand and appreciate the industry.”
RESEARCH agency brands
Graduates should research agency brands before reaching out, says Reddy, from reading its website and checking out social media profiles to the news covered on the agency, so you have a good base of information to assess if the agency is a cultural fit for you. “Do not be afraid
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to write to the agency but be sure to find the right person to email. Consider a mentorship — there are many agency leaders who make the time to mentor and guide young professionals on their journey. Find and sign up for agency internship programmes.” Hayley van der Woude, Irvine Partners MD, started in marketing before moving into comms and finally PR. “I know a lot of people say they go into PR or comms to tell stories and, while that was part of it, for me it was more about getting to learn about a wide range of subjects and industries,” she says. “On any given day, you’ll switch from tourism to retail to finance, for example. And that kind of variety is incredibly energising.”
‘USEFUL BUT not crucial’
“It’s useful to have a qualification,” she continues, “but also not crucial. What’s more important is your experience and the skills you bring… It’s all about whether you have a skill set that can be adapted.” “There’s a general perception that there are no set qualifications to become a PR practitioner; this is destroying our industry as anyone that can get a story published think they are PR practitioners,” says Molekoa. “It’s important that people go to school and get trained in the communication field. This can be through getting a diploma/ degree in public relations, journalism, marketing via a reputable institution of higher learning.”
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SKILL SETS in demand
There’s been criticism that PR graduates are trained on output, rather than on strategy. How can the industry rectify this? “PR is not about textbook theory; it is a way of thinking and an ability to connect the dots to people, issues and trends that make the organisations and brands you represent stand out in a world of noise,” says Chick. “Key to this is teaching students application of theory and challenging them to go beyond. The industry has a key role, working with the universities to drive a clearer expectation of what employable skills look like, and what reality looks like when the theory flies out the door. I’m likely to draw a lot of flak for this — but I also think that universities are not teaching students about the PR of the future. We spend way too much time looking backwards rather than what the future of a more connected world, a world with less media and a world of digital- and content-first, looks like.”
should find practical experience from their first year of study. This is echoed by Molekoa, who says she has noticed a lack of understanding of the depth of research and strategy required in the PR business. “As an industry, we need to get back to being close to the institutions of higher learning where PR is being taught so we can support and guide what the students are learning. We need to update the curriculums, share relevant case studies and give guidance on what sets a good communication strategy apart from paid-for content.” TRAIN the trainer
Reddy says most PR graduates get stuck updating media lists, media relations and left with admin-related tasks: “This is as a result of poor management by line managers who have grown through the ranks to become exceptional at technical PRACTICAL skills, strategy and client delivery but not experience on people development. A simple ‘Train the Trainer’ will help rectify the way in which Vangile says most PR students learn about PR graduates are trained. If we don’t spend PR strategy theory in first and second year more time on training and development, and only get to implement their strategies we create greater issues for our business in in their third year of study. “By that time, the longer term, as we would not have built it is somewhat late to learn how to create a solid talent pool for succession planning.” and execute strategies. PR curricula in Pasipanodya wants to see critical universities should update the standard thinking and strategy as the foundation and introduce strategy creation in the for training by tertiary institutions of PR early years of varsity.” He believes students professionals, and she echoes the belief that agencies should partner with education institutions to “give practical course work which highlights the importance of strategy development for successful communications and campaigns”. M AR K L IVES R EPO RT
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FUNDAMENTAL gap
Larry Khumalo, Havas head of PR, used to work in IT with the ambition of becoming a software engineer but he left it behind to return to university to study media and comms and international relations. “New entrants get into the industry but get pigeon-holed (into influencer engagement, social media and digital) in inadequately supported roles that do not grow them into solid consultants. There is not enough mentorship to help them apply strategic thinking in their work. They are put into positions where the focus is to churn out specific work and they miss out on the opportunity to learn and adapt strategic thinking into their work. It’s a very specific example, this, but it points to a fundamental gap that the sector has been struggling with for a while.” “The industry was already starting to better embrace a more omnichannel approach and branch out in terms of strategies because of a shrinking media pool — but this was only compounded by the pandemic,” adds Van der Woude. “Now, more than ever, continual career development is crucial. It goes without saying that digital is key but content needs are also evolving. Increasingly, the successful PR professionals are the ones who have specialised knowledge and can embrace challenging sectors. You need to understand your client’s industry inside out because, with a limited media pool, there is a massive need for quality content.”
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE career/career development
“Regardless of the career you are in, continuous professional development is a must as industries are evolving, legislation is changing, people are diversifying, etc,” says Reddy. “Staying abreast with the nature of changes will strengthen a communications professional because you are best placed to guide the growth of your clients/employees.” She’s particularly concerned about a trend she’s noticed towards PR professionals with no ability to write content and says this needs to change. “A well-rounded professional is one who understands the brands they work [on], the competing landscape and has the ability to create conversations of substance for the brands they work on,” she says. “PR is only one discipline of many when it comes to communications. There is a strong need for PR professionals to understand the full spectrum of communications disciplines as integration is becoming central to planning and execution for brands. They also need to upskill on trends and data — data drives insights and insights inform strategy.”
ORGANISATIONAL strategy
“If you are not learning all the time, how will you be at the top of your game?” asks Chick. “For PR people I would suggest a focus on digital (not in terms of just social), as well as organisational strategy. If you understand how companies, leaders and brands think and plan, you are able to provide strategic communications interventions that create business results.” →
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Khumalo believes one reason agencies continue to struggle with applying PR craft is because their leadership is unconcerned with the cultural shifts of our world today. “In circles I move around, I am yet to hear a seasoned PR practitioner talk about, for example, the significance of Lil Nas X in popular culture today and, therefore, brands and businesses we work on,” he says. “It’s a specific example but it speaks to having one’s finger on the pulse.”
WHAT EMPLOYERS are looking for
Vangile considers the ability to work independently and remotely as a key skill set today — so someone who has selfdiscipline and requires limited oversight to do their jobs efficiently. Don’t be afraid to bring your uniqueness into the work culture, he adds. “I do believe that you produce the best at work when you are being yourself.” Reddy says she assesses what applicants NOT ENOUGH know about the business “so we can PhDs understand if they are chasing a job or a career”. She echoes Vangile when she says He also believes there aren’t enough people “[w]e don’t do timesheets, we don’t work with PhDs in the craft of PR comms. from the office and we don’t clock-watch, “Work towards getting more and more and so we want candidates who place qualified, and using those qualifications. emphasis on performance, productivity Much of what you learn in post grad is and adding value.” The job requires channel applicable in your day-to-day activities. agnostic thinkers, doers and agility. She Beyond the academics, short professional believes you should never stop being programmes that are practical are also curious, that you should think like a great and useful.” journalist and have the determination to see Khangelani Dziba, Rapt Creative through plans and reach objectives. Agency head of PR & influencer partnerships, is currently reading towards a masters in brand leadership, SOLID having realised the importance of selfbasic skills development. When building skill sets, he suggests a focus in a specialised area Pasipanodya seeks candidates to have of passion. “It is… equally as important solid basic skills such as writing, project that industry practitioners take up the management and understanding social opportunity to be involved in academia media. They should also understand and shaping curriculum. This can only basic budget development and control, be possible if we go back into academia, be self-motivated, and have strong researching and documenting findings interpersonal skills. that will help with current industry Molekoa looks for what she calls her developments — including the creation of three Cs in prospective employees — strategies that are relevant and executable. character and values, competence and We all have a role to play!” creativity. She adds that there’s “just something about someone that brings something to the table that is different → M AR K L IVES R EPO RT
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from the norm and is not afraid to stretch their imagination — colouring outside the box, so to say. We live in a world full of unexpected challenges, so to have someone [who] can think on their feet and find creative solutions is heaven on earth.” Digital literacy is a non-negotiable for her, noting that her agency is also looking for data analysts, coding experts and animators.
READ, READ, READ. And listen
Khumalo — as does Chick — makes a call for everyone in the industry to read, read, read. “To build a sustainable career in the PR sector, [you] must not just be open but… should be enthusiastic about consuming information. This is information about our craft, and information about the categories within SENSE which your clients exist, news, politics, of humour technology, culture and so much more.” Khumalo also encourages keeping a Chick wants to see job applicants showing peer group of PR people and sharing resilience, open-mindedness and a sharp with them, honestly and vulnerably, mind. Skills-wise, he looks for people and learning the value of partnership. “who can research and get to insights (not “Positive reinforcement is important, information), [are] able to produce high of course, as much as is constructive quality work and who can think laterally criticism. A group of peers in the sector is and quickly. Someone who can write and nourishing to a growing career, especially write well — a skill that has seemingly if you and your peers have shared values taken a back seat. A sense of humour on career growth.” and an ability to bounce back. We don’t solve world peace, so a steady dose of perspective helps, too.” LISTENING “One of the worst words people use skills with young talent is ‘potential’ and it’s a Many in the profession, says Molekoa, misnomer,” says Khumalo. “‘Potential’ is forget the importance of good listening generally the result of good rapport and a great profiling of oneself, and it is reserved skills. “It feels good to be quoted and referenced but [this] robs you of being for those who act and sound like the boss. There’s also the idea of ‘attitude’, which is a empathetic and understanding someone else’s perspective. In this age of instant follow on from the ‘potential’ misnomer. I care more about people who are showing up communication, everyone wants to hold and putting themselves in their work. I care the mic and broadcast what is on their mind. They fail to realise the value and about how people connect even the most power of sharing the stage and learning mundane daily task, like checking their emails, to their overall career development. through listening to others. I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who said, ‘Speak I care most about people who understand little, do much.’” that excellence and putting one’s best foot forward is not for the agency that employs them but, rather, it is for their own careers and personhood.”
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LARRY KHUMALO’S 12 QUALITIES for a successful career in PR 1. Being a PR practitioner is a thinker’s job. The ability to think clearly is key 2. The ability to think strategically is important 3. Thinking clearly on your feet will come in handy 4. Critical thinking across all roles in the PR business is imperative 5. An openness to evolution and growth 6. Honesty and sincerity 7. A curiosity and an interest in the world beyond one’s bubble 8. The ability to hold attention when consuming written content (reading) 9. Connecting the smallest components of to the big picture 10. An uncompromising commitment to excellence 11. A work ethic that brings together both smart working and hard work 12. Self-motivation, with the ability to work underpressure
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S I G N U P TO M A R K L I V E S
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