Are you now or have you ever been a PRESS OFFICER? Please come and talk to me.

[MediaLaunch]

I'm a freelance journalist but have crossed over to the dark side diversified and become a press officer for a bit.

The thing is, I've had no induction and I really don't know what I'm doing.

Can someone tell me what is expected of a good press officer.

Ha ha - that rings a bell... I was a journalist who once became a press officer and had no idea what I was supposed to do except write snappy press releases... Turns out I hated it - I hope the same won't be true for you.

Basically what I discovered (painfully so, as this just doesn't come naturally to me) is that press officers do marketing as opposed to journalism. You have to sell whatever your organisation does to people in the media, You need to do lots of cold calling to develop contacts and keep existing ones warm, then ring them up regularly to tell them very succinctly as they'll all be very busy exactly why they should listen to you about whatever it is your org needs publicised.

You need to find interesting angles and then 'sell them' them to different media who you think will like this particular angle. You need to go to events, identify the most important people there and then interest them in what you're trying to publicise. Think schmooze without booze, as a drunk press officer could be an unemployed press officer after not very long...

Get the people in your org whose product you're selling to tell you in layman's terms why exactly the world should be interested in it-that makes it easier for you to explain it to others. Read up about the product so you know your background when giving interviews to the press, which you will probably also be expected to do. You might also need to organise press conferences for big product launches, complete with media packs, interesting interviewees and sparkling water.

As for press releases - nobody reads them unless you've got a smashing headline and cracking opening paragraph. You'll be writing for busy and often (possibly) very stupid people so keep it short, sharp and simple. Good luck !

Thanks KHS. I hate it already for all the reasons you've described. It's not so dark as your average dark side in that it's a benevolent organisation (don't want to say which as I might end up slagging them off which is NOT in the job description) and I have a great deal of respect for its ideals.

BUT, as a journalist I feel DEEPLY uncomfortable, especially as I have been called upon to try to 'sell' stories to old colleagues.

The hardest part is getting the organisation I'm serving to tell me, in plain English, what they want me to get across. None of them seems to speak plain english. My head is absolutely swirling and I'm on the point of landing them in it and resigning BUT it's only a three month contract so part of me wants to grit my teeth and see it through. I just wish I could see some light! I'm getting nowhere.

Also in terms of using my contacts, I think if anything my journo colleagues appear LESS willing to consider my press releases than they would if they came from anybody else. Their distaste for my new post is palatable.

Their smarminess pisses me off because I wouldn't have to do this wretched job if they'd bloody well give me enough shifts to get by.

Poor you-you shouldn't have to spend your weekends worrying about this! Have a glass of wine woman! And a long warm bath thinking only of a beach or something-you sound mega-stressed. I remember too clearly the horrible sinking feeling of being left with a mobile phone every weekend, which at any moment could go off with a call from CNN or Radio 4 or the NY Times asking for an interview, and not having the faintest idea what to say... I just started switching it off, then checking my messages and passing them on to someone I thought would have a clue .

I worked for NGOs/charities for years, and they were not exactly known for their clear decision making and communicating their goals effectively, at least not internally. But you've got nothing to lose by telling your boss/close colleagues about your frustration. Be open about the fact that as you're new in the job you need them to tell you what exactly they'd like you to get across. If you can't understand it, how can the rest of the world?

You just need to find one semi-sane person who can explain it to you, although those can be thin on the ground in some organisations... If you truly can't find a single helpful or understanding soul, then it's only a short term contract so it doesn't really matter anyway-they obviously haven't got a clue what you are there to do so just plug holes for the duration and go home as soon as the buzzer goes. You're not a magician and some of these people live in la-la land with no idea about what actually matters to the general public.

As for your old contacts, well - I'm sure your network is one of the reasons why they hired you. So I'd swallow my pride and call old colleagues but only when absolutely necessary. Who knows, it might just be one of them calling you up for a favour one day. I know that it feels so draining when you're in the middle of a situation like this, but try to keep a sense of humour and perspective about it and look after yourself. You will not be doing this forever!

God bless you KHS. You totally get it. You've been there. Spot on.

You'd laugh if I told you which organisation I'm working for because you know these people, their foibles, the fact that they are loons and their own worst enemy.

The frustrating thing is I support their message and would really like to help them get it over because they're so, so bad at doing it. But, well, you know all the buts because you've been there.

I might try to CAT you if that's OK. Not for a long rant, just to tell you a couple of things I can't say on here for the purposes of identification.

By the way, you obviously ditched the press officer role. Did you go back to journalism? I have a vague sensation of journalism doors slamming behind me, which is probably just paranoia.

this is interesting. The role of the press officer is incredibly difficult if the organisation cannot agree on the message. I dont think that has antying to do with the fact that your are a journo, rather that the role itself is near on impossible with no clear line to follow. Unfortunately I know only too well!

Hi-yes, funnily enough I did go back to journalism-working for another charity - DOH! Should've known it would be just more of the same but at least I got to write a lot and travel. But the bureaucracy was terrifying and man - the interminable meetings! I hated being hostage to a marketing line that either nobody could or dared to define very clearly. A lot of wasted time and money went into so many silly projects - what a shame it was. I still get flashbacks... (seriously).

I eventually left because I got too stressed and unhappy to stay and went freelance as a writer and editor. It was a lot more relaxing to work from home and I had a lot of contacts by then to draw on, but then luckily I had kids and now it's fizzled into a sort of thing that I only do if I really have to. It really bores me now, which is sad as I've invested so much time and energy into becoming a journalist. We seem to be hostage to some sort of agenda wherever we work, which is not what I entered into it for. And anyway I basically really want to write a novel-now all I need is some proper time to myself and a big old kick up the proverbial (mainly the latter!).

Feel free to CAT me - I'm a newbie here so not sure how it works but I'm sure I'll find you somehow!

In any case, don't worry about it too much. The right future position won't exclude you just because of a stint as a PO. It might actually help. These days it's all about adapt and survive I reckon, and everybody knows that. Some very experienced journos don't even have a job - any job - these days, so just try and find a strategy for being as happy & functional as possible where you are whilst planning your next move out of there.

Is there any kind of a marketing department/person who you can get together with? As KHS said it's basically the same job, except the marketing dept fronts to the public/client base and the press dept to the media. You should be able to cross reference on promo blurb and things like photo resources, and ideally you should be a good source of support for each other.

Re interviews, often the press officer isn't the best person to give them (although of course is often the one left doing it) - is there a figurehead or spokesperson that you can cultivate to wheel in/cajole/support for the more important press? It's in their own interests to do this of course, but they often take some persuading and are busy doing other things.

I haven't worked as a press officer myself but have worked with many from a marketing point of view, and I'd say that things like meticulous organisational ability, attention to detail on your facts and figures and contact lists, being on the ball with regard to chasing up / responding to things and being confident and communicative without being annoying are all important - all of which are relevant to journalism as well I guess. Good luck!

Hi Medialaunch,

I worked in a couple of big charities, and found that a really good press officer was worth their weight in gold.

The not-so-good ones sat back waiting to respond to press calls, then scabbled around to find someone who could help answer the question, and dig the organisation out of trouble.

The great ones developed a real feel for the charity, identified some good "media stars" - (operational staff, volunteers or service users), anticipated problems, trained and briefed staff to help them respond to questions, spotted opportunities for positive publicity, anticipated potential problems. The good ones were often people who offered a completely different view - and who no doubt found it difficult to persuade the charity that they needed to think differently. They probably felt like a fish out of water, and sometimes got a rough ride - but they had a huge impact internally as well as with the media.

I think Vamonos and notsoclever make some very good and positive points - ie. that to be a good PO you have to be proactive and think laterally. I hope my responses didn't neg you out, MediaLaunch - everyone's different and I just hated being a PO because I was thrown into it at a second's notice when somebody else left and had a) very little support and b) no talent for it.

I really hope you'll discover that you're good at it - the kind of work that notsoclever describes actually sounds sort of fun. But it is very difficult to function in any job if you wish you were doing something else the whole time and also working on a very short term contract.

Gosh, Media... I could have written your OP myself about 13 years ago. Except I don'y think MN existed then.

I lasted six months, is all I can say.

If you are a digruntled Press oficer please let me know as I know two fab people who'd relish your job!