By: Krystal Black
Introvert: a shy, reticent person, or someone who tends to keep to themselves. Extrovert: an outgoing, overtly expressive person, or someone who is energized by the presence of other people. At this point in our lives, we all know ourselves enough to identify as either the life of the party or the person who doesn’t attend the party at all. There is nothing wrong with being either, and I would say there are major pros and cons to both of the traits. One thing that I am certain of is the fact that you don’t have to be one or the other to thrive in public relations.
If you ask most people about which type of person is a public relations professional, an introvert or an extrovert, most will tell you that it’s most definitely the extrovert. I, however, couldn’t disagree more. With public relations, now more than ever, taking on more roles that require multiple skills in a variety of backgrounds, outgoing people as well as quieter people are needed.
Sure, your average public relations professional may be an extremely personable human who loves talking their clients up at a big event. However, there are also roles behind the scenes, like the professional who can design logos or write a radio advertisement for their client, saving their client money. An introvert doesn’t necessarily know how to communicate any less than the extrovert, rather they use a different approach. For example, while an extrovert may give excellent speeches, the introvert may be an exceptional listener, paying attention to what the client wants the most.
Overall, no matter who you are, the calm and collected introvert or the people-oriented networking extrovert, there is a spot for you in public relations.