How NOT to be a PR Bunny

Thanks so much for the post Tara! How did I know from the title that this would be referencing PoweR Girls? Seriously though, the points you made are great. A lot of them do seem to be pretty common sense type things to me, but there were some I hadn’t considered much or at all. Participating in meetings was one recommendation that I’ll have to take into more consideration. Sometimes I am cautious in asking questions, but it is a good practice afterall I guess. Also, the point about being prepared for meetings is essential. I usually feel prepared for meetings, but bringing a calendar is not something I do all of the time, so I’ll have to remember that one. Don’t gossip–it is hard not to sometimes, but thinking about it, I can see how important it is. Also, the last comment about the heels…priceless!

Tara,
Thanks for the tips on how to survive in the PR world as a woman. They were very infromative and you brought up some good points about stereotypes of female PR professionals. At Auburn the PR major is mainly dominated by females. I have to agree that shows like PoweR Girls reinforce female PR stereotypes. Hopefully if every female follows your tips it will help the image of a female PR professional.

Thanks for the advice! I really appreciate your thoughts about establishing a career in PR. I want to absorb this information now, so I won’t have to learn the hard way later! As female PR professionals working for predominately male executives, I can understand how the ladder to the top of the company could be a rocky one. If more young women entering the PR field considered your advice, more creditability could be achieved.

I feel like printing it out and keeping it in my calendar, just incase I need to reference! I do feel the girl power coming alive, but in all seriousness it is a relevant topic in our field. I also watched Power Girls the other night and they sure do make being in PR look fun. Not that it isn’t, but lets be for real. It is still a job!
One question I have about clothes is: Do you think it is better to wear a pants suit or a skirt suit to an interview. I hear both things, but my logic tells me to wear the pants, simply because of the male dominant world. Just wanted to get your opinion since you have experience in this area.
In conclusion, thanks for the post and answering my concern that I had expressed earlier.

Tara,
I watched about five minutes of the show and turned it off! It was horrible! They made PR look like a profession for airheads. Your tips were very good and helpful. Thank you so much for your post. We love having a woman’s opinion on Marcomblog. I need to work on being more thick-skinned! I tend to be too sensitive especially when criticized.
Thanks again!

Thank you so much for the advice, Tara. I think that I should pay special attention to the points about growing thicker skin and not crying at the office. Since I am somewhat sensitive, I can really use your advice. All of the other points you made are great too. I think I will remember these for years to come! Thanks again!

Thanks Tara! These are the things I hear in class or at meetings from speakers but they cannot be said enough. It is funny, after all of your advice, the last part about wearing comfortable shoes really hits home for me. I am only 5′1″ and find myself wearing uncomfortable heels no matter what the situation. Working retail did not even break me of this bad habit. Thanks for the warning and all of the helpful tips. They will help me put my best foot forward, literally.

Great post, Tara. Thank you. I’ve mentioned to the students before how grateful I am that we have your marketing talents to learn from in MarcomBlog. This post also reminds me of how important it is to have a gender role model, too. I know you probably don’t want the ‘role model’ mantle, but you’ve earned it. You’re doing double duty and we appreciate it.

Tara, this is great advice. I am going to print it out and keep it in a place where I will look at it frequently. I especially appreciate the advice about not gossiping. This is something that I have been trying to work on in my daily life, but I never thought of how it could affect you in the professional setting. It normally only leads to trouble. Thanks for all of the suggestions!

This is fantastic advice. The MTV show has garnered lots of attention in our field, and by following this advice, we can distinct ourselves from the “PR bunny.” My favorite piece of advice, though, is the advice about keeping it together. I haven’t watched the show yet, but I saw a clip on a talk show where one of the girls was crying because she was fussed at because she was celebrating her birthday instead of working. Thank you for sharing with us ways to prevent us from the same humiliation.

Right on Tara. As the boss of six “rock star” females, I can attest that you nailed it. They are rock stars in my book because they possess the skills that you espouse. They’re smart, strong, on-time and prepared. They don’t take any crap from men or women alike, but they’re also not afraid to turn on the charm when it can win them the pitch or the deal (a woman’s gift in business). Above all, they’re Pros! Your most salient point is…no crying. Nothing good ever comes from tears in the workplace.

I think it goes without saying that most of us are working toward the goal of being the best people in our business, not the best women in our business. Stereotypes keep us from the realization of these goals. It makes me proud to read everyone’s comments to see that we all have a firm grip on reality.

I also think Tara’s post was great. Really good list of tips and gives great perspective. The only thing that I get nervous about is not gossiping! As horrible as it sounds, it’s almost like habit for me to talk to other people about what’s going on, what they think, etc etc. And more than half those times, it’s definetly considered gossip. I’m glad a PR professional has pointed out not to do it–now I just need to learn how to obey!

Thanks Tara! I appreciate this post so much. It is very informative to us as upcoming female pr professionals. Having so many girls in my pr classes at Auburn I forget that the profession is quite different. It’s always nice to have someone tell you what to look out for and what to prepare for. I know I will take what you say and apply it to the work place. I hope everyone else does the same.

Thank you Tara for your advice. Talking to other girls in class,I think we all agreed it was excellent advice and we will do our best to adhere to it when we enter the workforce. Now I can see through watching the MTV show how girls in our workforce would be referred to as bunnies. My hope is for college girls in the pr field to watch the show and realize the unlikihood of having a job like that, and also realize how not to act in pr.

Tara… I know that you are probably tired of reading our comments, but I want to let you know how much I enjoy your post. You make some great points.
As you know, Auburn’s PR program is full of ladies. (Myself included) We love to chat about the stereotypes associated with women in the PR industry. Your advice was wonderful in giving us an escape from that.
I think it is common for women to play into their stereotypes to get ahead. This a major problem. Men usually respond better to women who take a submissive approach to a negotiation. This leads to the ethical question of …if you play up what you know to be untrue in hopes of coming out on top, who really wins in the end?
I realize this might not make sense. It’s just a random thought from Emily…

THank you so much for this article! You are so right and these points are so important. We talk about in class the stereotypes of PR women and your advice is great to have. I always feel more prepared when I have read something like this. I definitely printed your post out and will keep it with me. THese tips and perspectives are a necessity and I just want to thank you for pointing that out. Thanks so much!

THank you so much for this article! You are so right and these points are so important. We talk about in class the stereotypes of PR women and your advice is great to have. I always feel more prepared when I have read something like this. I definitely printed your post out and will keep it with me. THese tips and perspectives are a necessity and I just want to thank you for pointing that out. Thanks so much!

Thanks, Tara! You should write a book. All of this advice is extremely helpful… I think I’ll be able to speak up in meetings and I’m always bring my calendar everywhere I go… but the comfy shoes instead of heels will take a while to get used to! Thanks for the post, looking forward to more!

Thank you so much for the post! I know this is about the twentieth time that you have been thanked, but I think this post has a really large effect on all of us women. Some of the things you said I catch myself falling a victim to, for instance, participating in meetings. Sometimes I hold back because I don’t think my ideas are good enough, or everyone will think I’m a joke. I am slowly working on that though by speaking up more in class and so on.. Growing a thick skin was my favorite bit of advice. I sometimes wear my emotions on my shoulders, and am very quick to be offended, but PR is not always going to be compliments. I know this now. I think it will come with time, being shot down can do nothing but make me stronger and want to work harder.

Tara- Your post made me very happy! So many times I have regretted taking the journey in high heels instead of flats. It’s never worth it. But on a more serious note, thanks for giving us tips on how to defeat the PR bunnies stereotype. Speaking up in meetings and wearing thick skin is advice I will keep in the forefront of my mind as I begin to enter the working world.

Loved your post - It is definitely going to be printed out and possibly framed in my future office (just as a little reminder of how to be successful)! And you were right on in suggesting that employees should refrain from gossiping. In every place I have worked this has consistently been my biggest pet peeve. Not only does it not impress your boss, but how can you be productive if you are always worried about everyone else? This was the lesson I learned when I was working at an office where only women worked this a year ago. Thanks for your post! Great Advice!

Tara- Thanks for your post. The “PR Bunnies” stereotype is a sad one because intelegent, hardworking,deserving individuals should be the face of PR. As a male trying to enter into the PR world I sometimes feel like this “PR Bunnies” stereotype might hurt men just as much, if not more than the a woman in the same position. If the stereotypical PR practitioner is a “bunny” then Im in trouble seeing as how Im more of a “bear” than a “bunny”. With that being said I think your advice to young PR women applies nearly accross the board to men new to the field, with a couple of gender appropriate changes. Such as: attire, being prepared, seeking advancement and responsibility, ect… Im not trying to combat your post, just giving a different view.