3 Reasons to Consider Mentoring Through the APR Program

Every other Monday at noon, I disconnect from my job and join a virtual call with Phoenix area PR professionals. We spend one hour studying the fundamentals of our profession, including ethics, strategic planning, research, law as applied to PR, crisis management and communication models, among other topics. 

No, I am not preparing myself for a professional certification. I earned my Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) from PRSA in 2017. Since then, I have mentored new groups of candidates pursuing Accreditation, a rigorous but extremely rewarding program. 

Not many people know that — aside from working full time, sharing life with my husband of 17 years, and raising two kids — I have the pleasure of coaching APR candidates and teaching a free Fundamentals of PR course available to PRSA Phoenix Chapter members. 

As the Chapter chair of APR, I am proud to support professionals on this journey. Over the last three years, the Chapter’s free course and individual mentoring sessions helped six Phoenix professionals successfully complete the APR program (a 100% success rate without a single repeat test). 

The APR is a commitment to excellence, the international gold standard in public relations. APR is a mark of distinction; it demonstrates that a professional thinks strategically, aligns with the highest standards of professional ethics, and understands the impact of communication practices. 

Whether you are a young or an experienced PR professional seeking the next step in your career, take the leap now and apply for the APR. It is the best career decision I have made. Invest in your professional growth and stand out as a leader in the PR profession. 

If you have already earned the APR, then consider mentoring, coaching or sharing your knowledge. It is a mutually beneficial experience. Here are three examples of how mentoring through the APR program enriches my personal and professional experience.

Witness breakthrough moments.

The APR can be transformative for many professionals, and I often watch candidates experience the same epiphanies I had years ago while I was studying for the APR exam.

Strategic planning was revelatory to me. I discovered some of my campaigns were translating into low engagement and low ROI because: I was too quick to jump into implementation without conducting research; I was mixing up strategies and tactics; I was trusting my instincts instead of data; I was not analyzing my publics; and I wasn’t structuring my campaign to reach clear objectives.

I can still remember the breakthrough moment I had when I diagnosed the problem, understood the subtle distinction between objectives and strategies and realized that, if you get them inverted, then your campaign will take a much different course. 

The Research, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation (RPIE) process is foundational to strategic public relations. That was a career-defining moment. Today, I am grateful for the chance to hear APR candidates describe the positive outcomes of campaigns after they’ve applied this proven method.

Give back to the community while sharpening your knowledge and skills.

In a time of evolving roles and responsibilities for PR professionals, with new technologies and emerging trends developing daily, it is easy to see the boundaries between public relations and marketing getting blurred, and the pillars of PR losing focus. 

The APR program allows me to return to the fundamentals and continuously sharpen my skills. While doing so, I also support my community and help other professionals grow.

Gain new perspectives.

While teaching the course and mentoring APR candidates, I meet talented professionals who expose me to fields and business sectors new to me. One candidate manages crisis communications for an industrial manufacturing enterprise plagued by shareholder issues. Another leads communications campaigns to gain support from communities impacted by transportation projects. A third owns his own PR agency and hustles to sign clients and earn media placements. A fourth candidate led internal communications during the COVID-19 pandemic for a multinational medical company. 

The PR challenges and opportunities they face were unimaginable to me until we exchanged perspectives during our Monday conversations. Fresh insights helped me expand my own views of strategic PR and effective communications. In this sense, I benefit from this study group as much as they do.

April is APR month. Make this the month you start volunteering in your PRSA Chapter, mentoring — make sure to visit the Mentor Connect section on the PRSA website — or supporting APR candidates. While helping to promote the highest standards in our profession, you will contribute to the growth and development of the next generation of PR professionals. 

You will also gain personal and professional value from this experience as a bonus. 

Learn More

April is Accreditation Month at PRSA. It’s a time to learn about how becoming Accredited in Public Relations can help advance your career. Look for posts on the PRsay blog and each month in The Pinnacle, PRSA’s monthly newsletter offering insights on Accreditation. Learn more about earning your APR by visiting PRaccreditation.org.