Dissecting the Professional Development Dilemma...

Should you go back to school, become accredited or (gasp) both!

Deborah Williams, ABCUnited Way of Greater Kansas City

Matt Tidwell, APRMorningstar Communications

2010 KC IABC Business Communicators Summit

Today’s Agenda

• Accreditation

• Graduate degree

• Questions and Answers

About 40% of the IABC members recently responding said they’d like to become accredited. (Coincidentally, nearly the same percentage would like to get their master’s degree.)

Their reasons for not being accredited?

It’s a lot of work, isn’t it?

It’s been a long time since I’ve been tested like that.

What if I fail?

If I don’t know what I’m doing by now, it may be too late for me.

Is it really worth the effort? ($$$)

ABC and APR

¨What are your goals?¨What does it take?¨Who benefits?¨ABC or APR?

Corporations seek quality candidates. “Once, when I was working at a local engineering firm and wanted to make a career move to a larger organization, Sprint called then-IABC president Stacy Wilson and told her they were having trouble finding marketing and communications people with MBA’s, and asked for her suggestion.  She recommended they look at people who were accredited – ABC, APR, etc. and because of that I got an interview and eventually a job (and so did Stacy).”

—Lori Joseph, ABC Kansas City, MO

Why Accreditation?

Personal and professional satisfaction: “I achieved a goal that

showed my skill level met independent, professional standards

for business communicators.”

— Sharon Tiley, ABC Kansas City, MO

National

Includes ARC, ARPPR, FPRA, MPRC, NSPRA, PRSA, RCC, SPRF or TPRA

Oral, portfolio

Tight prep guidelines

Assistance more costly

ABC APR

Global

Specific to IABC

Written, portfolio

Loose prep guidelines

Free assistance

Compare

Choose ABC?

Requirements

§ 5 years full-time communications + bachelor’s degree OR

§ 7 years + Associate’s or two-year degree OR§ 9 years experience if you do not have a college degree.§ Reputation for ethical work§ $320 member, $530 non-member, $620 join & get accredited§ No maintenance requirements, but you can be reinstated if

membership lapses.

(You must be an IABC member to apply for-and maintain your membership.)

ABC-----APR

ABC

Application to verify eligibility

Portfolio to qualify + ethics quiz

Written (4 hours) and oral examination (30 minutes)

3-Step Process

ABC

§ Goal setting§ Research§ Planning§ Budgeting§ Oral presentation§ Project management§ Time management§ Measurement§ Proposals§ General management

Examination

§ Writing§ Employee

communications§ Media relations§ Ethics§ Consulting § Culture/politics§ Investor/shareholder

communications§ Technology

ABC Portfolio

ABC Portfolio – go for the GOLD

¨ Enter your portfolio in the Gold Quill Awards

(January 27, 2010 deadline)¨ Get a grade of 4 or higher for one: save $100 ¨ Provide two entries that win—each with a grade of 4 or higher--complete the portfolio requirement for accreditation.

Go to http://www.iabc.com/abc/.htm

IABC Executive Accreditation Seminar

¨ NEW--Developed for senior-level practitioners pursuing accreditation.

¨ Offered on 21–26 March 2010 (now full).¨ Royal Roads University (RRU) in Victoria, British

Columbia, Canada¨ 6-day seminar designed for senior-level communicators

who wish to achieve the Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) credential

¨ For more information, go to: http://www.iabc.com/abc/eas.htm

Choose APR?ABC-----APR

Requirements

§ Member of ARC, ARPPR, FPRA, MPRC, NSPRA, PRSA, RCC, SPRF or TPRA

§ Practicing PR OR admin or teaching§ Target = 5 – 7 years + bachelors, or equivalent§ $385§ Maintenance requires CEUs & membership

APR

APR

Application to verify eligibility

Readiness Review: questionnaire (one plan) and oral portfolio presentation (30-60 minutes)

Computer-based exam (3.75 hours)

3-Step Process

APR

Creativity Interpersonal skills Management Client focus Flexibility Multi-tasking Teaching Time management

Readiness Review

Multiple media use

Control analysis Speaking Interviewing Writing and

editing Listening Presentation

APR

¨ Research, planning, Implementation, Evaluation (30%)¨ Ethics and law (15%)¨ Models & theories (15%)¨ Business literacy (10%)

Examination

¨ Management skills (10%)¨ Crisis communication (10%)¨ Media relations (5%)¨ Using technology (2%)¨ History and issues (2%)¨ Advanced communication (1%)

ABC

§ Six-month process§ Personal preparation and

study groups§ Pass rates in the ‘70s§ ABC failure – usually about

measurement§ 1,000 ABCs; 15 in K.C. area

What to Expect

APR

§ ?-month process§ Personal preparation and

study groups§ Pass rates________________§ APR failure – usually

about__________________§ 5,000 APRs; ___in K.C. area

What to Expect

Trends

PRSA researching:§ Sanctions§ Licensing (Puerto Rico example)§ Certification (including specialty areas)§ Practice standards

IABC developments:§ Exam re-write§ Executive ABC§ Competency model with recognized milestones

ABC Help

From IABC:§ Chapter programs§ Accreditation Completion Program§ Tele-seminars§ Inside Organizational Communication, Third

Edition, edited by Al Wann, ABC, APR, or The IABC Handbook of Organizational

Communication § Coaching – own chapter or IABC program

APR Help

From PRSA:§ Accreditation in Public Relations online study

course ($195 member, $295 non-member)§ APR study guide (free)§ One text from recommended list

Corporations want service validation. “Originally, I pursued my ABC just for my own

personal value. Today, as a consultant to Fortune 100 companies, I find it serves as

both a great conversation starter and validation of my experience in the profession.

The ABC also serves as a key criterion when I look for colleagues to assist me

– Stacy Wilson, ABC, Lakewood, CO, USA

Want credibility?

ABC or

APR

Choose Either—or Both?

Per ABCs and APRs:§ Sets standards for profession§ Boosts quality of practice§ Increases confidence, credibility, recognition§ May meet recruiting standard§ Increases accountability§ May affect overall regard for professionalism

Accreditation? . . . § 1/3 of managers & clients

perceive value-add§ Majority say it adds credibility§ Clients say it increases understanding§ Accredited professionals make more $$$

§ (Good and bad communicators among those accredited.)

What supervisors & clients say

Graduate degree?

§ 85%: Definite distinction/door opener

§ ABC or APR?§ HR point of view

What supervisors & clients say

Why bother?

Per ABCs and APRs:§ Sets standards for profession§ Boosts quality of practice§ Increases confidence, credibility, recognition§ May meet recruiting standard§ Increases accountability§ May affect overall regard for professionalism

What WE say:

Why bother?

1

0 0.333 0.667 1.000 1.333 1.667 2.000

What matters?

Researching:

•Sanctions•Licensing (Puerto Rico example)•Certification (including specialty areas)•Practice standards

PRSA: setting more standards…

IABC has increasingly emphasized the international aspects of business communications . . . social media have had a huge influence…IABC best practices have taken on a more strategic and less tactical focus… The newest exams now are more modern and better reflect the current state of the art.

— Rich Barger, ABC Kansas City, MO USA

IABC: More strategic,

socially-conscious, state of the art…

IABC PRSA

Trends

Developments:§ Exam re-write§ Executive ABC§ Competency model

with recognized milestones (communications, knowledge, management)

Researching:§ Sanctions§ Licensing (Puerto

Rico example)§ Certification

(including specialty areas)

§ Practice standards

Going back to school

My Story

My Story

Value for me

• New knowledge

• New network

• New vocation?

Is this for you?

• There are choices: national programs, local programs, online programs

• Regardless of choice, be prepared for:• Major time commitment• Major financial commitment• Major “priority commitment”

Two programs

Timeframe: 2 years -- 3 terms per year

Structure: On-campus one-week residency format

Cost: Approx. $36,000 (not including travel)

Requirements: 5 years of professional experience; GRE/GMAT (or APR) ; letters of reference

Timeframe: 2 years

Structure: Attend classes on campus at KU Edwards Campus

Cost: Approx. $13,400

Requirements: 2 years of professional experience; GRE/GMAT (or APR) ; letters of reference

Two programs

Courses: Accounting; Finance; Marketing; Communications in Management; Research; Crisis Communications; Communications Law; Branding; Capstone Course

Courses: Marketing Fundamentals; Financial Fundamentals; Research; Writing for Marketing Communications; Sales and Strategies; Database Development; Branding; Relationship Marketing; Technology in Marketing; Marketing Ethics

www.newhouse.syr.edu/ISDP www.kumarcomm.wordpress.com

Solution to the professional dilemma:1. Get your Master’s degree.

2. Get accredited:

§ PRSA: www.praccreditation.org  

§ ABC: www.iabc.com/abc/ . . .

Or

BOTH!