New Pro Highlight: Elyssa Bernstein
Think of your career like a garden. You’ll want to plant it in a fertile area with plenty of room to grow and access to the things it needs to thrive: sunshine and water; opportunities and professional development. You’ll need to spend some time on it, deciding what to cultivate, weeding out the unnecessary and giving it the care and attention it needs. You’ll need to fill your tool shed. Finally, consulting the experts is never a bad idea.
PRSA Richmond is highlighting some of our chapter’s Next Wave members and their contributions to the profession. Our “budding flowers” answer questions on the tools and tips needed to grow your career well beyond “bloom!”
Where do you work and give us a brief description of your role.
I am a communications specialist at Commonwealth Partnerships. My main role is to provide social media marketing services to our clients who are in the real estate and senior living sectors.
What is your favorite plant/flower?
My favorite flower is a sunflower!
What are some important things PR professionals should do to help their careers grow?
Don’t pass up a chance to learn. Seek out professional development opportunities, attend conferences, take time out of your busy day to watch webinars, read books related to public relations and communication, and get involved. Learning new skills will not only benefit you in the end, but it will benefit the organization you work for as well.
What advice would you give to other new professionals interested in the PR field?
Public relations is all about connections. By becoming involved in local organizations, such as PRSA, you easily make friendships and professional relationships that can help grow your career. Branch out and meet new people!
What do you love about being a public relations professional?
The great thing about public relations is that there are so many job responsibilities and titles that fall under it. For instance, my main role at Commonwealth Partnerships is to build relationships with my clients’ fans through social media channels. Yet, public relations can also involve drafting press releases, reaching out to the media, writing blog posts, website maintenance, crisis communications, and more. Public relations is awesome in that there are so many opportunities to learn and grow within the field.
What are some personal things you do to help your “PR Garden” grow?
It’s important to me to build connections with other marketing and PR professionals in Richmond. That’s why I enjoy attending the monthly PRSA luncheons and being involved in PRSA committees! You never know when the relationships you build will help you with your job in the future!
