Once again, CareerCast has put out its Most Stressful Jobs list and its Worst Jobs list, and the rankings continue to be grim for those of us employed as PR executives and journalists.

Newspaper reporters and broadcasters ranked no. 1 on the Worst Jobs of 2017 list (so, congrats?), which is based on criteria such as income, outlook, environmental factors, stress and physical demands. Surprisingly, reporters outranked jobs that included enlisted military personnel, pest control workers and firefighters when it came to having the worst jobs.

“Both of these industries [broadcasting and newspapers] have felt the years-long squeeze of diminishing job prospects, due to declining advertising revenue that has impacted the newspaper, radio and television industries,” said Kyle Kensing, online content editor for CareerCast.

Then there are the PR executives who are consistently ranked on the Most Stressful Jobs list because we tend to manage crises in the public eye and under extreme deadlines or pressure.

There are countless stress management tips I could offer, but thriving (not just surviving) in a stressful field like PR or journalism requires more than just attention to work-life balance, or a positive attitude. It requires a keen and realistic sense of perspective about your role as a team member, a manager, and a strategic advisor to your clients.

For example, below are some do’s and don’ts about keeping perspective in PR (and many of the other stressful jobs identified by CareerCast):

Do accept that you can’t control everything.

There are so many factors outside of our control that make PR stressful. The reality is that you can’t plan for every scenario. Competitors scoop your big story. Reporters choose not to include your client in an article. Your CEO goes off-message – way off message – in an interview. Your much-anticipated product launch falls short of expectations.

The good news is that you can – and should – plan ahead. Have a plan in place both for major campaigns and for worst-case crisis scenarios, and make sure that the key stakeholders have reviewed and signed off on them. Have messaging and talking points available for a variety of situations “just in case.” And go in knowing that, in a crisis or stressful situation, there are going to be areas you can’t control.

Do realize that you can’t do everything all at once.

In a stressful situation – whether it’s a full-blown crisis or just a giant stack of deadlines – break down your tasks into smaller, manageable pieces. If your head is spinning and you’re not sure where to begin, prioritize your tasks and set deadlines accordingly. What can you do by the end of the day, or by noon today, or in the next hour, or in the next 15 minutes? Each interval makes it more time-sensitive and also limits what can be accomplished in each block of time.

Don’t lose sight of the big picture.

Especially for PR executives, where our main role is one of a strategic advisor around communications, stop and consider whether your actions – both immediate and long-term – align with the overall business goals and objectives for your client or company. It’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture in the effort to diffuse a crisis or tense situation. Make sure that messaging, strategies and tactics all support the broader objectives, and whether those broader objectives need to be updated from time-to-time.

Don’t forget that, while PR is often not life or death, it can be in a crisis

This one I hear (and say) a lot, and it’s a good reminder that, unlike other jobs on the Most Stressful list (enlisted military personnel, firefighters, police officers, etc.), for the most part with PR, there aren’t actual lives at stake. As an important side note: This isn’t always true for reporters and broadcasters, by the way, and 115 journalists did lose their lives doing their jobs in 2016.

The key here is that while the majority of PR executives (knock on wood) may not have to manage a massive crisis scenario, there clearly are situations where people have died, been severely injured, or have had their livelihoods impacted unexpectedly.

A true PR crisis can cost a company billions of dollars or disrupt an entire industry. This isn’t meant to scare off PR executives necessarily, but it should emphasize the importance of advanced planning, acting as a strategic advisor, managing deadlines efficiently and keeping a healthy perspective day-to-day.

What other “Do’s and Don’t’s” would you share to help PR executives and journalists manage their stressful jobs? Do you agree that a newspaper reporter deserves the no. 1 Worst Job of 2017? Tell us why or why not in the comments below!

When it comes to communicating company news, we routinely turn to the strategy of drafting a press release and planning its distribution. Make no mistake, issuing a press release is a valuable way to help companies spread its key messages, raise awareness around updates and further establish itself as an industry leader.

However, what happens when you can’t or would prefer not to issue a release? Maybe you’re running into external roadblocks, struggling to secure internal approvals, faced with financial restrictions, or perhaps your announcement just doesn’t feel press release-worthy. Where do you turn to then?

For new or small start-ups, issuing press releases can be a big investment and not always the best way to go. Even larger and more established companies face the dilemma of whether or not to issue a press release when they are dealing with multiple shareholders or sensitive information.

If you end up at this fork in the road, it’s important to have a few go-to strategies in your back pocket.

Consider executing one of these four communication tactics next time you’re unsure about issuing a release. You may find that you can still secure the benefits associated with distributing a press release, while also communicating with your target audiences and building SEO.

1. Offer the news as an exclusive. Offering the news as an exclusive provides the company and a news outlet with a handful of benefits. For example, the company controls the topic and placement, and the reporter has first right-of-refusal and can cover the news before his or her competitors. Before reaching out to your top target, you’ll need to craft the announcement into a timely and compelling story pitch.
2. Design the announcement into a webinar. Webinars are a cost-effective way to promote products, expand professional networks and build thought leadership. Similar to a conference or trade show, a webinar allows your company or an executive to present on a specific topic, without the expense of traveling. Once the webinar is complete, you can post it on social media channels, mail it to your customers and share it with relevant media targets.
3. Share the news in a weekly newsletter. Depending on the subject of the news and if your company has a strong e-newsletter, selecting this strategy can be a great tool to announce new hires and recent product announcements to your existing customers and current newsletter subscribers. Keep in mind this strategy would eliminate targeting media as a priority.
4. Create a case study. Weaving a new partnership or company milestone into a customer case study is a great way to highlight a successful product offering or solution implementation. Ownership of the development of the case study will allow you control the key messages and overall sentiment. Because case studies traditionally demonstrate a company’s proficiencies, they are also a great tool to attract and engage potential clients. Once the case study is completed, you can either share it with your customers and social media following, or offer it to a publication to cover as an exclusive before publishing it to your website.

Before deciding to draft a press release or selecting one of the strategies above, it’s important to review your news with a critical eye and to determine your objective, target audience and desired results. If you’re still stuck at the fork in the road, check out these other blog posts: Writing the Winning Press Release and How to Drive Meaningful Coverage Without Hard News.