Arik Hanson

Does accreditation have value for PR pros?

June 5th, 2009 | Author: Beth Harte

Today’s post is brought to you by Arik Hanson, APR, ACH Communications. Arik is a talented PR pro that shares a ton of great PR and communications insights at his blog Communications Conversations and on Twitter. If you’re a PR professional looking to get ramped up in how social media is changing our profession, I suggest you add Arik to your list of mentors.

There’s been a lot of talk recently―both online and off―about the value of accreditation for PR professionals. And it’s not just idle chatter. Just ask Patrick Evans. He had an interesting post about APR accreditation recently (his blog has since been taken down) that spurred a passionate conversation between those both for and against it (Note: If you’re interested there’s a Twitter conversation today at 1 pm EDT-To join in, follow #accredchat.)

The question on many minds: Is APR certification worth the effort and expense?

In the spirit of transparency, I earned my APR four years ago. And I think there a number of reasons to pursue the designation. If you’re on the fence and contemplating taking the exam, here are three benefits to consider:

It’s about the journey, not the outcome. For me, earning my APR was far more about the process than the outcome. During my studies, I met so many wonderfully smart PR professionals-many of which I now consider good friends, trusted colleagues and mentors. The process also forced me to take a step back from my day-to-day PR role and focus on the basics, the building blocks of any successful PR program. I’m talking about the four-step PR planning process. I learned from case studies, real-life examples outside my industry and proven PR veterans.
It opens up opportunities you never had before. The APR designation will open up all kinds of doors for you-especially within PRSA. You’ll be asked to lead committees. Sit on your chapter’s board. Participate in Readiness Reviews. Coach mentees. Judge Silver and Bronze Anvils. And along the way, you’ll build meaningful relationships with some incredibly smart people. Again, I argue it’s all about the relationships.
It will lead to new jobs/work. Just not the way you probably originally envisioned. See, it’s not necessarily the three letters that matter-again, it’s the relationships you develop throughout the process (are you seeing a trend yet?). As part of the APR fraternity, you will rub shoulders will a different strata of PR pros. You will have access to folks you never thought you’d meet before (for me, it’s been Peter Shankman, John Beardsley and Dave Mona, for example). And, as a result, you’ll be considered for jobs you never thought attainable before. Speaking from experience, my last two jobs were a direct result of people I met through my APR process.

At the same time, I can understand my colleagues’ reluctance to start their APR journey. For many of the reasons Patrick-and others-have extolled, the accreditation process and designation do have their drawbacks. But, it’s incumbent upon us, as the PR professionals who make up PRSA, to do something about it. So, here are three areas I’d like to see improved in the APR process, and my basic thoughts on how to make that happen:

Shift the focus of the test―again. With social networks and new technology playing a bigger part in today’s PR environment, why is it that just 1 percent of the test focuses on new technology? And, as Patrick Evans points out, with our business partners questioning our ability to understand their businesses, why does just 10 percent of the test revolve around business literacy? I know PRSA just revamped the test a few years ago, but with the industry changing so rapidly that might be something we need to do every few years now. Suggestion: Re-evaluate the test and adjust to better reflect the new changing PR industry and business climate.
Help our business partners understand the importance of accreditation. Unlike CPAs and other professional certifications, APR does not necessarily resonate with most employers. Yes, it’s a conversation starter and it’s incumbent on us to change that mindset, but for the most part many C-suite executives think “annual percentage rate” rather than “accredited in public relations” when they hear APR. The PR profession at large needs to work to change this perception (that means all of us). Suggestion: Take 5 minutes with a senior-level executive this week and talk about how APR has helped you better serve your clients/organization.
Take another look at maintenance. I thought Patrick Evans nailed it in his recent post when he suggested we re-evaluate the maintenance program. In my mind, it’s not so much that the maintenance program doesn’t look at the right things. I’m more concerned it’s not doing its job. Is it pushing us as APRs to further our PR education? Are we incented to learn new skills? Are we encouraged to develop existing talents further? Are we asked to push our boundaries? In it’s current state, I’m not so sure. For someone who’s actively involved with their local PRSA chapter like I am, it’s relatively easy to accumulate the 10 points needed. I’d argue it shouldn’t be that easy. I don’t want it to be easy. I want to challenge myself-I want PRSA to challenge me, too. I think we have some work to do here. Suggestion: Re-evaluate the point system. Put more emphasis on learning new skills and improving business literacy.

I’m curious―if you’re still on the fence, what are your barriers to taking the test? If you have your APR, how can we improve the process? Let’s get all the issues out in the open so we can learn from one another.

[Image: James Sarmiento]