You should be a jack of all trades and master of none’ this is the phrase that my Journalism lecturer used to characterize as the most important quality of a Public Relations professional. Back then I was a fervent enthusiast of journalism and arts. Being a cub with a naked state of nescience, the vast world of public relations was an entirely novel concept for me. But I was curious about learning new things and reading about them.
The phrase “A jack of all trades, master of none” caught me in awe; it left me in a contemplative state to reawaken the researcher in me. I started spending extra hours in the library to tackle this ever-changing and interesting landscape. ‘The Chief Information Manipulators’- the very first idea I canvassed about PR professionals. But the concept of being the mastermind behind a brand’s reputation enhanced my curious mind to fill up vibrant colours to that canvas. These ‘Spin Doctors’ were a mixed breed of marketing and advertising. Everything you do or say is public relations and this is what makes this profession dynamic. First I tried to define it in the realm of journalism but it got interrupted by the theories of psychology. Then it got intervened by lawyering, marketing, business studies, public speaking and so on to become an integrated phenomenon of communications.
A life that revolved around news and media it took a sudden spring into the role of a corporate gatekeeper. ‘Goodwill’ the word that shares a ceaseless blood relation with the PR profession becomes my motto. I wasn’t a Jack of all trades or a master of all, but I had that thirst to be a master in this hybrid profession. Communication is the basic quality of being a good PR professional and I was good at it. I wanted to prove that to myself so I joined a communication-oriented club in my college called ‘Al-Madhyam’ and become an active participant in all the activities. It also made me improve my abilities and master in some new skills. Apart from the written theories of Public Relations as a prerequisite factor for the successful growth of a business, I respect and regard this profession as a social function. It should be a concerning social responsibility to channelize a brand’s empathy and action for the public goodness.
All my life I didn’t have any particular field of interest I was comfortable and adaptable to all the fields. I was curious to explore more and more about the world of arts, politics, literature, philosophy, films and sports. That’s how I have fallen for the diverse nature of Public Relations. From my very young age, I was ready to be on the stage. I have cultivated that inner confidence long back to answer all the barriers that questioned me. But it won’t qualify me into the silver line of a ‘Master’. There is always someone who is ahead of me that’s how I wanted to believe, to continue my race to chase life. I wanted to get defeated by great things in my life, so that I can call myself ‘A Jack of all trades and a Master of some’. To become a true prodigy who is always studying and learning her profession through her mistakes.
This blog post originally appeared on Vani Krishna’s blog: vaanikrishna.wordpress.com
Vani Krishna
Vani is a part of the Class of 2021 of PG Programme in PR and Corporate Communications at SCoRe Mumbai. She pursued her bachelor’s degree from Mangalore University. She is passionate about Sports and Arts. She has done an internship in a Kerala based PR firm Davidson PR & Communications, and with the Department of Information and Public Relations- (I&PRD) Kerala Government. She can be reached at @VK_thefernweh on Twitter, and as Vani Krishna on LinkedIn.
