I’ve been a woman in PR for two decades, here’s what it taught me

The PR industry has a problem with women. Nearly two thirds have experienced gender-based discrimination or harassment, with 4,000 failing to advance or leaving the industry. Throughout my PR career, I’ve had to overcome plenty of hurdles. Here are my three lessons from working in this industry for more than 20 years, including running my own business for the last ten): 

1. You must add value. When I started out, the traditional route to entering the industry involved getting a degree. When I sat down with my sixth form careers advisor, I told her I wanted to be a journalist, but I didn’t want to go to university. I didn’t want to start my career in debt, plus, despite being a Grade A student, I was tired of studying. She told me I’d never be a journalist without a degree. I was determined to get into journalism. I spent the summer holidays getting newsroom experience, which I shared when applying for a senior reporter role at my local paper. The editorial director discounted me because of my age and lack of degree. Fortunately, the editor saw potential and created a trainee position. At 17, I was the youngest person they’d ever employed, but they took a chance on me. Six years later, I was weekend reporting for ITV Central and it turned out my colleague was the career advisor’s husband! It’s funny how things work out sometimes.
2. Be realistic. I spent 18 years working for employers. I’d been working in my last job for almost four years and was considering my next move. Some of my colleagues were leaving to go freelance. It was a lightbulb moment because they didn’t have my breath of experience. I was 36 and thought, ‘If I don’t take the leap, I’ll always wonder what would have happened if I had.’ I’m not a risk taker, so I built my business during the evenings and weekends. You’ve got to be realistic, especially if you want to be financially secure.
3. Mentor. I always wanted a mentor when I worked for employers, but I didn't know how to go about finding one. It’s great to have someone beside you, giving you real-life support and guidance. I’m a firm believer that if you can help others, then you should, which is why I’ve found mentoring extremely rewarding.  I’ve been mentoring for the last five years. One of my mentees desperately wanted to get into PR. I helped him develop a plan of action. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of disappointment along the way, but he persevered and landed himself a job with a top agency. It’s amazing to be (and have) that cheerleader championing you on from the sidelines.