During my college years I worked and interacted with people who were on the same level as me, specifically my college mates. This year is slightly different. I decided to try to work in a real world (doesn’t mean I’ve been living in a different world). Anyway, I found a job in Praxis, a public relations agency/consultant in Jakarta. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but everyone here welcomed me with open arms. I also discovered an interesting fact: Public relations is a world of perfectionists. It may sound scary, but trust me, read further and you will see what I really mean…
- What kind of perfectionist(s)?
By perfectionist I mean the level of professionalism shown by the people who have been working at Praxis is the kind that the public relations world needs. They cannot afford mistakes, they pay full attention to details, have long-term commitment, are determined, and fast thinkers. These criteria best suit the challenges faced by PR professionals. I remember how the CEO told me on my first day that they could not afford mistakes. If they did, clients would commit the same mistakes, and by making mistakes I would hurt all.
Sometimes I consider them “magicians” because they simply do not make mistakes and can do almost everything for their clients. As PR people play an important role in delivering a message to the public, they NEED to pay full attention to details. If they don’t dig deeper than the competitors, the message is not worth a dime to make it to newspaper or magazine pages, or even worth talking about. The media as a tool to “distribute” key messages from PR consultants will always be looking for something deep and unique. Being PR consultants mean making a long-term commitment. Here in Praxis I see the commitment of my senior colleagues who sometimes use their holiday and private time to finish their work. I have never seen anything like this before. To be determined and to be able to think fast are the common criteria to be successful. Such is the dedication of every PR Consultants in Praxis that they will never give up the tasks assigned to them by the clients. They propose new ideas, work on the tasks, and finish them on time. See? The kind of perfectionism I talk about is the one that is simply inspiring.
- Benefits to my work rhythm
Working with perfectionist consultants enrich my knowledge and helps me hone in my soft skills. I don’t know if I’ll remain in this field of work, but working here make me realize how important it is to work creatively and wholeheartedly. I learned about commitment and time management. I may not absorb all the hard skills since I am not a PR major, but I absorbed the basic knowledge about this interesting new world. I learned to be a fast thinker in any situation. I learned to be an adult, became an independent thinker and a more responsible person. And the last thing I learned was that it is important to always speak your mind because it is the only way to accomplish one’s mission. No hard feelings. I do believe that these soft skills are crucial for everyone in any kind of job.
Working with perfectionists in a PR agency is surely fun!
