Transcript Utopia or Armageddon? - Public Relations Institute of Australia

Utopia OR Armageddon?
?
What is the personal and
professional experience of the selfemployed, public relations
consultant in regional Australia?
25,700
PR professionals
35% work outside
capital cities
The new mobile worker
Top 3 Stress Factors for
Employed PR professionals
Poor management
Office politics
Long hours
Why choose freelancing?
Freedom
Flexibility
More control over work
Variety of work
Escape office politics
Benefits of freelancing?
More positive
Feel healthy
Less stress
Better concentration
More energy
It’s not all roses
What do I need to know?
Demographics
Personal qualities
Professional skills
Sources of stress & satisfaction
Finding #1
85% female
Most aged 35-44 years
Finding #2
90% had tertiary quals
1. Journalism
2. Public Relations
3. Business
4. Marketing
Finding #3
66% had more than 16 years
PR experience
Finding #4
60% chose to work in a regional location
WHY?
Flexibility, Freedom, Variety of work
More control over work, New challenges,
Work/Life balance
QUOTE “Having the ability to choose when I
will work and the kind of work I will do is
empowering and satisfying”
Finding #5
Length of time self-employed?
3-5 years
Finding #6
1. Advertising, Arts & Media
2. Marketing & Communication
3. Government & Defence
4. Administration & Office Support
5. Education & Training
6. Hospitality & Tourism
Finding #7
Main business structure
Sole trader with NO staff
Finding #8
80% worked from their
home office
Finding #9
Typical work week
41 – 50 hours
Everyone worked on
weekends, just not all the time
Finding #10
Most time spent on
operational tasks rather than
strategic matters
[A real hands-on job]
Finding #11
Administration 15%
Travel
10%
Bookwork
5%
More time spent in the
business, rather than on it
Finding #12
Communication facilitators
• Publicity & media relations
45% often managed social media
Finding #13
60% had 5 – 10 clients
SMEs
Government
Not for profit
Finding #14
How to find work?
Repeat business & referrals
Marketing & advertising
worked for only 20%
Finding #15
Most important personal quality
1.
2.
3.
4.
Experienced
Trustworthy
Honest
Approachable
Finding #16
Most important professional skills
1.
2.
3.
4.
Written & oral communication
Good contacts
Strategic thinking
Project management
Finding #17
Main sources of stress
1.
2.
3.
4.
Time pressures
Managing multiple projects/clients at the same
time
High workload
Irregular income
Only 10% were stressed by amount of income –
the regularity of income was more important
Finding #18
Main sources of satisfaction
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Variety of work
Being my own boss
Flexible work hours
Control over type of work
Control over type of client
53.5% said they were very satisfied
Finding #19
The impacts?
Quality of life & work/life balance had
improved for nearly everyone
Due to heightened feelings of personal
and professional autonomy
QUOTE “Being my own boss, working the hours that
suit my family and choosing the work that I enjoy has
allowed me to get the work balance I was looking for”
Finding #20
Their advice?
Think hard
Plan carefully
Get prepared
Before you leave your ‘day job’
The future
80% will still be a regional PR
consultant in 5 years
Utopia OR Armageddon?
Utopia, mostly
Thank you
Heather Smith
Director, Wishbone Communication
E: [email protected]
www.wishbone.com.au