‘Thoughtful communication can educate, inspire and connect people’

Name: Gemma Pettman 
Job title and company: Chartered PR adviser, Gemma Pettman PR Limited  
Location: Kent 
Time in PR: 25 years 

What does your current role involve? 
I work in a freelance capacity with charities and public sector organisations. Primarily I help them to develop sound communication strategies but in many cases I support them with delivery too. In any given week I can be planning campaigns, writing website or newsletter content, drafting speeches, or running training sessions. One of my specialisms is crisis comms so I help organisations to prepare themselves for incidents that could arise and/or guide them through difficult times when their risks become a reality. 

What do you love most about working in public relations? 
As an adviser to not-for-profit organisations, I work with good people who are doing great things for the greater good. That’s a genuine honour, but it also means I get to see the impact of my guidance and hands-on work in a very tangible way, which is extremely rewarding. PR is broad, which means my days are varied, but the behaviour change element has always appealed to me most; thoughtful and well-planned communication can educate, inspire and connect people. PR can be a force for good. 

What's been the highlight of your career so far? 
So much client work springs to mind when I think about this – campaigns that have increased donations or grown demand for services – but I return to achieving Chartered status. That’s a highlight for me but it’s also important for clients; I take my role as a trusted adviser seriously and want to be as across the various aspects of my work as I can be. I didn’t tell anyone I was going for it in case I failed, but I passed and got some really great feedback and I’m now a Chartership buddy, supporting my peers through the process.  

How long have you been a member and what made you join? 
I have been a member since the early 2000s when I signed up for the then advanced certificate in PR. I hadn’t been to university and had come into PR via roles in local radio news and a busy police press office. While I had received plenty of ‘on the job’ training, I wanted to take a course that would fill some gaps in my theoretical knowledge. My employer at the time paid for the learning and once I had completed the course, I continued paying for membership.  

How does the CIPR support your career? 
My CIPR membership enables me to access a huge range of learning and development opportunities, many of which are included in the price of membership. This is important as it helps me to remain relevant and keep my skills up to date. I feel I got more from the CIPR when I began volunteering. I was exposed to more of the work the CIPR does within the industry, got a better overview of all of the services it provides and had an opportunity to support people coming into PR. I highly recommend volunteering. 

Best piece of career advice you’ve been given? 
That you must understand and communicate your value. This works on several levels. When you’re working in-house, leaders may not see the need to involve you in planning from the outset and won’t always understand why it’s crucial you’re at the top table, while colleagues won’t perhaps appreciate the role and potential impact of PR. This advice is also crucial when you work for yourself. The above still applies, but you will also have to navigate self-promotion and pricing your services. If you don’t understand and communicate your value, you risk selling yourself – and PR – short. 

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT JOINING THE CIPR   

Take the next step in your PR career and become a member. The CIPR is a supportive and inclusive community where everyone can connect, thrive and grow. Join the CIPR today.