What skills do junior PRs need for success?

Gemma Ginsberg, account director: "Creativity in PR? It's for everyone! Feel empowered and expected to consistently put a fresh spin on things and show initiative. Whether it's new angles for coverage, innovative mailers, campaign builds to boost reach, or quick, nifty newsjacking, great ideas truly come from anywhere. We often understand what media want best, so, never feel you're not creative enough to share. It's never too late to try a new tactic or unique way to grab a journo's attention. Keep those creative juices flowing, past the brainstorms and decks."

Kate Last, client partner: "Lots of PRs can execute a pitch or draft a flawless press release. The exceptional ones are thinking about the business 'why' behind every single comma and connection and working out what it means to their client. At Ogilvy we talk about the difference between output and impact, and a strategic curiosity makes sure impact is the focus. Thinking like an owner and not just an operator makes you indispensable to clients."

Becka Kapoor, PR and social account executive: "Young PRs should leverage their digitally native perspective as a strategic advantage. As more and more clients share Gen Z-centric briefs, our intrinsic understanding of youth culture, platform behaviours, and social trends offers valuable insight that can elevate our role within the agency. This becomes especially important as the media landscape shifts toward social‑first news formats, which younger audiences consume most. By combining our own cultural awareness as the consumers our brands want to reach with knowledge of the modern media landscape, young PRs are uniquely positioned to place clients at the heart of the zeitgeist and in front of engaged audiences."

Liam O'Brien, senior associate director: "Every PR over the age of 30 has a sell-in war story, and they tend to have something in common; they involved the phone. Nowadays, the phone is something that is largely there to be scrolled and silenced, but being able to use it properly is still the greatest tool in a PR’s arsenal. Having an honest off-the record conversation with a journalist in the middle of a crisis is better than sending something coldly on email, and in a world where so much of the copy we read has been digitally reshaped by chatbots (or worse, landed with you via an HR influencer’s Top Tips video) - open conversations between client and agency are still best thrashed out over the phone."

Ella Proude, account manager, tech: "I think the secret skill in PR is prioritisation, which is no easy feat. Quite often, there are a lot of things thrown at you, so being able to juggle a whole to-do list is invaluable. Managing a raft of inbound requests, quickly deciding what needs escalating and what can be parked for a bit, is a skill everyone should always work to master."

Jimmy Alder, senior account director, tech: "In a world saturated with AI, the human touch in PR is so vital. You could develop the most disruptive ideas for a client, but if you haven’t built and maintained a trusting relationship, you won’t get their buy-in. Clients can seem intimidating to those in agencies, but they are people after all. Each with their own aspirations, interests and lives outside of work. They know you have the specialist knowledge, that’s why they hired you. But, finding a more personal common ground will turn you into a true trusted advisor."

Flora Rogers-Murray, digital PR account executive: "If I had to pick one skill for PR, it would be editorial empathy. For me, that means genuinely understanding what journalists need and working with them rather than simply pitching at them. I have learned that strong coverage does not come from sending the same press release to everyone. It comes from having conversations, asking what angle they are interested in and shaping the content around that. When developing case studies, I will often speak to the journalist first to understand the hook they want and tailor the material accordingly.  This collaborative approach builds trust and leads to stronger stories.”

Jasmine Maguire, digital PR account director: "I totally agree with Flora on editorial empathy. It’s rare and powerful. However, I’d go further to say a core skill is judgement. That means knowing if a story is truly newsworthy, which journalist it suits, and how far we shape a story without crossing the line (including steering clients away from self-serving commentary). Empathy sharpens that judgement because if we learn through genuine conversations how journalists think and their pressures, we can make better calls with clients and writers. The best PRs ask questions like, does this matter? Is it new? Would I run the story? Having this ‘judgement mindset' builds credibility and keeps journalists answering our emails.”

Rhianna Hay, account executive: "Resilience is one of the most important skills I’m building as a junior in PR because it shapes how I handle everything else. Through confidence coaching, I released my biggest barrier wasn’t the pace of the job, but how quickly I reacted without pausing to understand. I’d carry pressure forward instead of reframing it. Learning to step back, look at situations positively and not worry about something twice has changed how I work day to day. In an industry that moves fast and expects quick judgement, resilience gives me clarity, steadiness and the confidence to keep improving."

Catriona Mackay, senior account director: "I always tell juniors to listen, observe and absorb as much as possible. In those early days you’re still building confidence and resilience, so one way of getting ahead of the game is swatting up. Get super curious about the client or project you’re working on. Actively listen and try to empathise with the challenges they’re facing. Spend time with your teammates in the office and ask them questions. Ask for feedback where appropriate. Read, watch and listen to everything. Become a total PR geek and you’re already ahead of the game."

Xanthe Constantinou, junior account executive: “PR lives in real‑world conversations, trends and moments, so understanding that cultural landscape ensures campaigns feel timely, relevant and genuinely resonate with audiences. When brands tap into cultural relevance, they move from speaking at people to connecting through shared values, conversations and emotions that shape how people think and feel. Cultural relevance isn’t chasing every trend - it’s about understanding what makes your brand meaningful and essential in people’s lives.”

Chris Grabowski, creative director: “Yes. As Xanthe said. It’s absolutely that awareness thing but almost being holistically aware, and present. Aware of what a brief is really saying, what a client is really saying, reading the room, and then present enough to spot trends changing, or a fabulous quirky little insight. Almost being conscious of being present. We so often overlook trends or insights that could spark great ideas, simply because we are in the moment, caught up in what we are doing rather than taking a step back and observing what is going on, what’s the take on it for our client, what could we do with it.”