Head to Head: Does the PR industry have a problem with attracting junior talent?
In this series, Mumbrella invites senior PR professionals to share their opposing views on the industry’s biggest issues and talking points. This week, Mango’s managing director, Tabitha Fairbairn, and PRIA NSW’s Young Guns co-chair, Rachel King, go head to head on whether PR has a problem attracting junior talent.
Two weeks ago, the PR industry spoke out against the proposed changes to university fees, which would double the price of arts and communications degrees and attempt to push students into ‘job relevant’ fields.
PRIA national president, Leigh McClusky, argued that the skills which are taught to communications professionals in universities are ‘job relevant’ and public relations has proven to have “a critical role to play” throughout the pandemic.
Tabitha Fairbairn, managing director of Mango Communications, and Rachel King co-chair of PRIA NSW’s Young Guns, agree that the changes to the university fees will create a serious issue in drawing talent into the industry.
But, does the PR industry already have a problem with attracting junior talent?
PR Grads are paid a pittance compared to what other agencies pay and also what they can earn as marketing grads in all sorts of interesting companies
Well said, Tab. Mum still doesn’t know what I do.
I’d say a problem attracting real ‘talent’ in general, not just at the junior level. Many people who know how to google influencers, not so many who know how to formulate a proper PR strategy or link to an integrated campaign anymore.
Isn’t it read as Dead or Alive? What they’ll make of a brand…?
In my humble opinion; I’d say that our industry has a talent retention issue…not a junior talent attraction one.
Junior account co-ordinator – pay 40k (okay maybe, 45 if they’r lucky) inc super.
I just can’t see agencies have issues finding good talent and getting them to stick around ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯