Matt Tidwell-Presentation to KC IABC Business Communicator Summit 2012
Tidwell-Williams presentation to IABC BCS 2010--Professional Advancement
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Transcript of Tidwell-Williams presentation to IABC BCS 2010--Professional Advancement
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!