Finally--a principled stand backed with sound rationale from a the head of the nation's largest independent PR firm. Possibly uniquely qualified to serve as a bridge between the past and the extremely troubled present.
Well done and good luck on Friday.

Bill Huey
Strategic Communications
Atlanta

Good luck in Atlanta. I have not renewed my membership in PRSA because I have not, for a long time, received any sort of help useful to me. The Washington area chapter, however, has indeed been an asset.

I am something of a rarity -- someone who was grandfathered into APR -- automatically. I have never used it personally or professionally because I felt my record spoke for itself.

As president of the National Association of Government Communicators, I launched the Institute for Government Public Information Research at The American University. I believe PRSA should have more involved academically and hope that you will be able to broach that notion during your conference. proposed

There are so many skills that are needed for a PR professional that I think one certification might be too broad. Instead maybe there should be a number of different areas that one can get certified in within the overall umbrella. These could include new media, measurement and analytics, writing skills, market research, strategy development etc.

To have one exam does not begin to explore the breadth of skills that you need to be a success in this profession anymore.

Thanks for taking these first steps in what is sure to be an uphill battle. I was an accredited member of PRSA until I opted to take a "vacation" from the organization after 27 years. I'm also a member of College of Fellows.

I don't know that the APR leadership issue had anything to do with my disenchantment. But like you, I've seen the membership mix of PRSA change into something I don't recognize as representative of the business. And in social-media circles -- somewhere you and I both spend a fair amount of time -- organizations like PRSA are becoming irrelevant.

Accreditation is a wonderful professional development exercise, and I encourage my grads to pursue it early in their careers. But it should not be an obstacle to involvement and leadership in this profession.

More of my thoughts here: http://et.kent.edu/toughsledding/?p=5622

Welcome (back) to Atlanta!

I concur the APR exam process needs to move toward more public engagement criteria/questions, though not suggesting a change to the acronym to reflect this change (the unfortunate result, APE, is not where the industry should go).

Comprehensive social media skills should be infused with media relations or other tactical skills for the test. In addition to, or in lieu of, and oral exam, perhaps APR applicants could opt to provide this portion of their response in the form of a multimedia presentation that could be reviewed online by judges (might work as another manner for the applicant to demonstrate their tech savvy that is part of daily business in the industry).

One perception I always had, from those who took the APR exam, is the heavy recommended prep-time to take the exam (for me personally, a deterrent as there is always some other priority on deck), so perceptions of what the APR exam prep time may also be a consideration as changes are considered by PRSA.

Hi, Richard. I am an APR -- or at least as long as I pay my PRSA dues. Having been a member of PRSA for almost a decade I decided to finally not renew in 2010. I also knew this meant I could no longer use the APR designation, which I earned 3 years ago. I don't think anyone at Edelman or any of my clients even noticed that the APR fell off my signature.

I was an active member pf PRSA for several years serving on the board while building my network of colleagues and professionals. It was rewarding for quite some time.

I believe the renewed focus on strengthening our industry and voice is exactly what the doctor ordered for PRSA.

With regard to process, you mention two extremes. In the middle is the IABC accreditation, which combines a written exam with a portfolio and oral exam (in fact, a simulated real-life, real-time work problem, where you have 15 minutes to study the "inbox" materials and to formulate a plan and 15 minutes to defend your choice to the examiners, who are role-playing the part of executives).

No system is perfect, but one of the criticisms I have heard levelled against accreditation that relies on case studies and such is that judging is subjective. I personally feel that peer review of real work and the skills developed through that process is valid and more useful/relevant than memorized answers to a multiple-choice exam, but I'd be interested to hear your views.

An important part of making the APR relevant is to articulate its significance beyond PRSA and the agency world. I've spent most of my 30-year career on the client side until joining Edelman 4 1/2 years ago. Not once was I ever asked if any certification in PR was even available, never mind whether I had achieved it. So, I've never seen any evidence that achieving the APR status would affect me one way or another. I once looked into it, but felt it wasn't "exclusive" enough to be worth the trouble. In other words, it seemed too easy to achieve and, therefore, not worthy of my time and energy. Until APR really means something - and that something is well understood by Corporate America - it's just not that valuable, IMHO. After all, don't we want any kind of certification to be a "stamp" that lets our clients (first) and colleagues (second) know we've gone above and beyond?

As someone who took the APR test some years back -- when the test was 8 hours, included both multiple choice and written responses to cases, and was followed by a one-hour interview by three APR contacts in my local area -- I am a bit surprised by how the distinction has diminished in scope. More surprising is the lack of value among most practitioners. Like every other profession, I agree that we must have some form of certification but, as you've pointed out, the metrics must be realistic and vigorous. But no matter what the format, the accreditation will never hold value until we, as professionals, start to appreciate the value of the title and demand it of our peers. We need to self-select, and no matter what the process, PRSA can only be as strong as we make it. As an aside, PRSA might consider moving to a portfolio-based model, as has IABC. Though less well-known, its process has some weight and requires a level of professional mettle before even attempted.

Richard:

A very thoughtful post with valid and helpful POVs. The issue of APR, as you seem to understand well, was ruled on by the representative body of the Society, the Assembly. The board reports to the Assembly. That said, I look forward to seeing you on Friday.

Best regards,

Gerry

As a member of PRSA's Health Academy Executive Committee (elected position within PRSA) I actually supported the idea of making the APR designation a requirement for serving higher office in PRSA even though I'm not an APR myself. I agree in principle with the idea that we should set appropriate standards for our profession. And while we all know the APR designation is not an end-all and be-all, it's a good step. There needs to be some reward for achieving this designation. I do not oppose any steps to improve the accreditation process, and I understand the controversy this has generated, but the APRs I know are all knowledgeable PR practitioners and good representatives of PRSA, and if APR is our standard, then our leadership should reflect that in their own qualifications.

I have been a communicator for some 4 decades (10 as a journalist and 30 in agency, corporate and now academic work.) I have been a PRSA member since my days handling corporate PR at IBM. I am not APR and I know of few major peer practitioners who are. Like your dad, most of us look for ways to give back and ways to connect. Be it through IPR, Page or IABC, we work at making our profession better. PRSA has a serious opportuntiy to be part of that mix if it chooses to be relevant and chooses to lead. PRSA must open opportunites -- like national leadership -- so it truely joins the best youngs and olds. It should adopt an APR certification process that more fully recognizes career learnings and accomplishments. Fianlly, PRSA has to look at its own demographics and understand it can not continue to be so protective of the independent practitioner that it closes out participation by corporate and agency professionals.

There is no "market value" for the APR certification, and in fact, the best counselors in our business generally aren't accredited. I've been counseling cleints for 20 years, and none ever asked me if I had it.

We all discuss the importance of having a "seat at the table" - yet the accreditation doesn't make you a valuable player at the table.

Agencies are constantly needing to evolve and change with the times, and with our clients' needs. PRSA, if it wants to "have a seat at the table" needs to do the same. The way to do this is to attract the best and brightest in our business, and stop holding people hostage over the accreditation.

I'm a 20-year PR veteran who has looked into the APR on several occasions, but it has no appeal and seems to serve little purpose in boosting my career. It's designed around 20th century public relations and is largely irrelevant to the work I do every day.

Good points, Richard. Especially relevant in the 'digital age,' as you mentioned.

Being a recent college graduate going into the field of PR, I have put much thought into APR certification. But part of the issue with the low numbers of certified practitioners is the resources required to get it.

Having just paid an arm and a leg for a college education, only to do research on APR certification and find a new bookstore checklist waiting for me is just a bit upsetting.

I understand that the APR is 'icing on the cake,' so to speak, but therein lies the problem. For the new grad, it's simply that: icing on the cake.

Your perspective on the CMC and IMC is one I agree with as well; If I'm going to spend the time, energy, and resources to get the APR, then I believe the test should be relevant to today's PR professional's needs. It should thoroughly test writing skills and true client engagement. Currently, it does neither, and this has a real impact on whether it is valued.

Well, I hope some good came of your meeting, and I look forward to eventually becoming certified, however the test manifests itself down the line.