April is Accreditation Month at PRSA
Be sure to check out these events sponsored by The Public Relations Society of America
“Accelerate Your Career in Public Relations” A free webinar that will provide insights on how to grow your career in the midst of a dismal economy and include a discussion with a panel of Accredited pros who will discuss the value of accreditation and what they, as employers, now look for in their hiring processes.
“Accreditation Power Play”a one-day seminar to help prepare candidaes on Friday, April 24 in New York City.
If you’ve been in the Public Relations industry for at least five years, you may be considering accreditation. The Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation signifies that you have successfully demonstrated competency in the knowledge, skills and abilities required to practice public relations effectively in today’s business arena.
"As an industry that self regulates and validates our expertise, I am an ardent supporter of the accreditation process and would strongly encourage others to embrace the experience" says Jessi Blakley, APR, a senior account manager at the Florida-based consultancy Consensus Communications
What is the process like? For Kirk Hazlett, APR, an Assistant Professor of Communication at Curry College in Milton, Massachusettes, the process was very similar to a university classroom setting, with organized study groups in which each member was given assignments to prepare and then "teach" the entire group “We convened, we discussed, we had guest speakers, we learned and supported each other...as a group,” recalls Hazlett. The bonds formed during this time remain strong and 15 years later, Hazlett still gets together to reminisce at the PRSA International Conference.
Though the APR designation is usually associated with PRSA, in 1998, a Universal Accreditation Board was formed to administer the exam. The Universal Accreditation Board consists of members including the Agricultural Relations Council, Florida Public Relations Association, Maine Public Relations Council, National School Public Relations Association, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Religion Communicators Council, Southern Public Relations Federation, Texas Public Relations Association and Asociación de Relacionistas Profesionales de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Public Relations Association).
Earning your accreditation requires a serious commitment, but the result can be extremely rewarding "Achieving my accreditation was an important milestone in my career and professional development, one that substantiates my commitment and abilities as an ethical practitioner," notes Blakeley. "I was overwhelmingly encouraged and supported by my superiors and mentors, whom I could not have done this without."
“The value of the APR accreditation is in the experience and rededication to the profession,” explains Scott Mills, APR, President of William Mills Agency in Atlanta, GA. “Additionally, the APR process gets you thinking about ethics and how to handle yourself if you find yourself in a grey area.”
Accreditation can also serve as a means of self-validation, as Hazlett points out. “Did I, a public relations professional with nearly 20 years in the field and degrees in English and Business, really know what I was doing? I needed a benchmark against which to measure future activities as I continued my upward climb in the profession."
While accreditation may strengthen your candidacy when applying for your next job, it is rarely seen as a firm job requirement. Lindsay Olson, a partner and recruiter at Paradigm Staffing, a staffing firm devoted exclusively to the PR and communications industry, says that she has never come across a company or agency that require a candidate have APR accreditation. ”Solid experience and proven capabilities and accomplishments holds more weight than accreditation."
“Industry accreditation is not something that our clients specifically ask for in candidates,” agrees Doug Serton, Senior Associate Heyman Associates, a New York city based executive search firm which specializes in helping companies meet their communications needs.
“Accreditation is a valuable step in one's professional development, but it is not a guarantee of salary increases, promotions, etc.” says Hazlett. “Hopefully, though, when you receive notification of having successfully passed the mentally rigorous process, you will stand a little straighter, and present your thoughts and ideas with a bit more confidence because, in the eyes of your fellow members of the Public Relations Society of America, you have joined an elite group of professionals who proudly proclaim themselves ‘Accredited in Public Relations’!”
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Comments
Great article. I've been accredited for several years and my dad was among the first accreditees (is there such a word?)
While the APR is no guarantee of a job or a salary bump, it differentiates you as someone who has a solid commitment to this profession. That includes the profession's stance on ethical practice and continuing professional growth. To me, that says a lot about a person.
It has opened doors for me and allowed me to stand among some of the most talented professionals I know. A public relations director of a Fortune 500 company, I look for that APR when I'm hiring internally or seeking a consultant. And anyone who works at all for me must sign the PRSA Code of Ethics.
Jim Lukaszewski, APR, Fellow-PRSA, says APR stands for "accepting personal responsibility." It's a wonderful opportunity to examine your own commitment to this profession and your own growth within it. I urge all practitioners to pursue it.
As a former national board member of PRSA and a veteran of five years as a member of the Universal Accreditation Board, I would encourage PR practitioners to embrace the APR credentialling process as a mark of their personal desire to demonstrate a high level of professionalism and continuing education in their chosen career field.
I'd also encourage practitioners considering taking the APR exam to listen to the podcasts we produced for the APR Marketing Committee several years ago. They are at You can find these podcasts at aprpod.blogspot.com
Accreditation shows you care and are committed to advancing your career. I would also include membership in the PRSA Counselors Academy... no guarantees that a prospective client will be wooed by the credentials, but again it shows that you are in for the long haul.
Off the mark to this discussion, I just did a blog entry on job hunting tips for the Class of 2009 and welcome any new ideas readers can contribute. This comment cannot include URLS, but you can email me at dick@pirozzolo.com or go to Linked In for the URL.
The class of '09 could use some help!
If committed to personal growth, professional development, ethical practice and strategically leveraging public relations in your professional work, then Accreditation in Public Relations should be a goal of yours. As past chair of the Universal Accreditation Board, I've seen many times that, while companies may not know APR by name, they know they want and desire the knowledge, skills and abilities that come from employing an Accredited counselor and practitioner. While I know some talented professionals who are not APR (but easily could become Accredited), those APRs I've known and had the pleasure to work with have elevated my own practice and understanding of public relations well beyond the time I sat for the examination.
As a former chapter accreditation chair, I have to say that the initials APR after my name have served me well.
I went out on my own as a sole practitioner in 2004, and I can point out a number of clients that I have received on the basis of having those three little letters after my name. It has paid off many times over.
It's not an easy process, but well worth the effort.
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