When a few poor lost souls occasionally come to me to ask about a career in PR, I always preface any remarks by telling them that I am probably the worst person on the world to give them advice.
When I was in college I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I definitely knew what I did not want to do, and there were two areas at the very top of the list:
- Public Relations
- Computers
Given the fact that I have spent the past seventeen years working in PR in the technology sector I think that precludes me from positioning myself as a career guidance guru. When I think back to why I shunned those two areas, computers was obvious, at the time it was a career that required you to be at least mildly-intelligent, something (my family would agree) that excluded my participation.
The dislike for PR is less obvious. But my only perception of PR at the time came from the BBC TV series Absolutely Fabulous which presented a view of Public Relations that was an absolute anathema to me. It was only a TV sit-com but that was what formed my opinion.
I fear that the news that broke yesterday, namely that Kim Kardashian is planning a new reality show on Public Relations will turn a whole new generation off the career, or maybe even worse turn a whole new generation on to Public Relations!
The proposed series follows Kardashian’s pals, PR gurus Jonathan Cheban and Simon Huck of the bicoastal agency Command Public Relations. A pilot for the show, which has been viewed by PEOPLE, has been shot and an undisclosed cable network is eyeing the series for a 2010 debut.
I am dreading watching this, but I know I will…
Update:
- Shel Holtz has a great post and unlike me a great suggestion for the PR industry on this program.
- He also managed to find their “web site”
Murphy's Law 