Agency Leaders on Advancing Your Career

During a wide-ranging panel discussion on PR agencies, four leaders offered a variety of wisdom during a General Session titled “What’s New, What’s Next, What’s Best” on Oct. 21. Dave Samson, general manager, public affairs for Chevron Corp., served as the moderator.
       
What follows are soundbites from the panel on career advice.

• “Be a life-long learner. Things are changing rapidly — even for people who are digitally savvy. Be resourceful. The best people who succeed in our firm [say], ‘How can I get that done,’ not ‘I can’t get it done.’”
— Jennifer Gottlieb, president, W2O Group

• “I will repeat what I told my son, who about 18 months ago entered this industry — he works at Ketchum. ‘Be someone who people want to work with and who they can rely on.’ If you can become that person, you will have no worries at all.”
— Jim Joseph, global president, BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe)

• “If you remember ‘plus-one’ in your career, you will go so far. That means whatever you are working on, you do it just a little bit better. If you just add ‘plus-one’ to whatever you’re doing, you stand out times 10.”
— Heather Kernahan, president, North America and Australia, Hotwire

• “Say yes more than you say no. Raise your hand for everything. Even if you think you don’t know how to do the job, get in there and figure it out. Take advantage of all the opportunities. This is our moment. This is an amazing time to be in public relations, to be helping drive the reputation of the world’s greatest companies.”
— Barby Siegel, CEO, Zeno Group 


photo credit: albert chau