I was surprised and saddened to see prioritisation skills and analytical skills low on the list of what challenges lie ahead for PR pros in 2022 in the CIPRs state of the nation report out this week. Is this because we've nailed it? or is it a lack of education on what the profession can do and is capable of, and people not seeing the link between core skills and specific industry skills?

One of the concerns flagged in the recent state of the PR nation report by the CIPR was the reputation of PR in the future - and well I think reputation and lack of recognised business skills are intrinsically linked. If we cannot prove that we have brains that can craft messages based on research and evidence and not just gut feel, surely that puts our knowledge and ability higher on the agenda?

If we are overworked due to not being able to prioritise (all the way up the management chain) then how will the reputation of the function ever improve?

There is also a surprising lack of skills being cited as a reason for slow recruitment. I wonder if the skills sought are those not being matched—too many writers and not enough project management and analytical skills, perhaps.

The CIPR is the only chartered body for PR Practitioners globally and has been conducting a report on trends and insights for over a decade. We haven't seen many shifts, but key things highlighted in the 2022 report published this week include; an increasing lack of diversity, poor working conditions and mental health, and a lot of movement in jobs, as well as the lack of skills available for those recruiting into roles.

So this episode focuses on skills and my opinions on what's important.

Let's dive in.

Links mentioned in his episode:

CIPR State of the Nation Report

The Productivity Planner

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