Posts Tagged ‘TIME’

Why Skype works well

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

Hmmm… I somewhat disagree with Joel Stein’s article in TIME, and I generally enjoy reading his columns (TIME remains one of the few pubs I just refuse to read online). 

While I agree that we’re not always eager to look at each other when we talk on the phone, I have found that Skype has remarkable call quality and you easily have the option not to video call.  You can just IM if you want.  Or just talk as you are working.  With Skype, you have distinct communication options that allow for much discretion.  I use Skype to talk to clients and reporters, but mainly I love to use it when I talk to my friends and family in Europe.  For FREE!  Hello?  And I can see them if I want to.  

I don’t think you can beat that by washing dishes when you talk on a regular phone just to save some time.   It depends how you use Skype, and how you understand its dynamic.  The article also raises the big question: why are we so innovative with communication technology, if in the end all we do is avoid direct communication as much as possible?

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How working in PR will change in less than five years

Monday, May 25th, 2009

Great, great article in this week’s TIME magazine about the Future of Work!  Deep insights about how jobs, green jobs, and the culture of work will shift to more freelance, more flexible, and less structured workloads that no longer include “processing words or numbers.”  This type of article is exactly what I have been waiting for to write about the future of working in public relations. 

It’s already changed.  PR is no longer about placing cool articles and taking the time to befriend editors who may or may not get laid off tomorrow.  Too much of a waste of time.  Instead, we’re Tweeting, trying to organize Facebook fans, blogging, monitoring comments, doing online research and we keep writing.  Maybe we’ll do some traditional media stuff to feel normal for a while.  And when we think we’re done with writing, then we write some more.

But, I am noticing that freelance PR professionals are increasing.  And most are women!  Smart women who, if left to work the way they want, can be very productive and successful without battling a passe 9-5 structured schedule and wasting their time commuting.  The flexibility, PR specialty and the lower cost of freelance labor will make a huge difference as larger companies continue to cut out their own real estate costs, benefits, trim their in-house staff and outsource the rest.   Both Generation X and Y have a very different work mindset that does not include company loyalty, and rather flexibility, quality and productivity are at the forefront of their success.

This shift has been fueled by the downturn, and in the next five years PR jobs will continue to evolve and each one of us will have to be ahead of our game not just to stand out, but  also to learn and produce good work.   Soon, if not already, companies won’t want to pay someone to commute and show up to hang out at their offices.

Wake up and smell the coffee– we’re nearing the end of cubicle life.  I keep repeating how important it to use this time to learn and hone new skills that will be evergreen in PR  and marketing communications in less time than we think.

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Posted in European Destinations, Hospitality, Integrated Marketing Communications, Media Relations, PR, Top Accommodations, social media | 3 Comments »