We’ll start with a bit of a brag (sorry, not sorry) – we have a rather great team here at ADPR.
It’s not a secret that people are the greatest asset to any successful business, which is why it is so important to recruit, retain and continuously invest in the development of great people.
For businesses and individuals alike, it’s becoming an even bigger challenge as AI changes entry-level jobs and young people face fewer opportunities to get started. With technology automating many entry-level tasks, there is a risk that some of the traditional first steps into a career are beginning to disappear.
So how do we make sure we’re still developing the next generation of awesome employees?
We know that future leaders don’t arrive fully formed and that they grow because someone is prepared to invest in them.
At ADPR, we’re currently looking for our next PR apprentice, continuing our philosophy of investing in young talent, and as we head towards International Youth Day, we thought we’d offer our two pennies’ worth on how to create the leaders of the future.
Give people responsibility early on
What we’ve learnt is that you don’t wait until someone has ‘enough experience’ before trusting them with meaningful work. Experience comes because they are given responsibility, and not the other way round.
Don’t panic, that doesn’t mean we suggest throwing people in at the deep end without support! It just means we create opportunities where they can contribute, make decisions and build confidence, knowing someone is there to guide them and act as a safety net when they need it.
When junior team members are trusted to attend client meetings, contribute ideas or support campaign delivery, they develop far more quickly than if they’re simply observing from the sidelines. And it’s an approach that’s benefited our clients just as much as our team. New perspectives, fresh thinking and enthusiastic people often lead to better conversations and better ideas.
Make development part of everyday business
We threw out the annual appraisal format a long time ago. It’s just too easy for annual appraisal documents and objectives to get drafted and then sit dusty on the metaphorical shelf (until just before the next appraisal when there’s a flurry of ‘oh sh*t’ while people dig them out and start checking if they’ve fulfilled any of their objectives).
We check in regularly and found that monthly 1:1s coupled with bi-annual anchor points is the sweet spot for us. To develop great people, you need to create an environment where growth is built into everyday work and objectives are checked in on regularly. It gives people clear expectations, regular feedback and opportunities to stretch themselves.
At ADPR, we’ve developed our own framework to support that journey. It’s built around several development pillars that help every member of the team continue growing throughout their career. The pillars stay the same, but the depth changes as they progress.
We focus on creating future leaders by helping people build confidence, develop new skills and take ownership of their own progression. A key part of that is building commercial awareness and leadership skills from day one – not just learning the ropes and delivering top-notch client service.
Your people are far more likely to stay engaged and continue growing when development becomes part of your culture rather than an occasional conversation.
Hire for attitude and not just experience
Technical skills can be taught, but curiosity, resilience and a willingness to learn are much harder to teach.
An apprenticeship gives someone the opportunity to learn their craft in a real working environment, gaining practical experience alongside professional qualifications. If they have the right attitude and drive, we can teach them the other stuff along the way!
In today’s employment market that opportunity matters more than ever. As AI reshapes many industries, businesses need to think carefully about how they’re creating pathways into professional careers. If entry-level opportunities disappear completely, where will tomorrow’s managers, specialists and leaders come from?
Investing in young people is not just the right thing to do, it’s a smart investment in the future of your business and your industry.
Let young people challenge your thinking
Every new starter brings fresh ideas. Young people often question processes that the rest of us have stopped noticing. They bring different experiences, different ways of communicating and different perspectives on emerging technologies, audiences and trends. That diversity of thought makes teams stronger.
Create an environment where people feel comfortable asking questions and challenging established ways of working and it keeps the whole company learning and evolving. Sometimes the best ideas come from the people with the fewest preconceptions.
Proof that investing in people works
We’ve seen this philosophy play out time and time again within our own team. Our first apprentice joined ADPR in 2011 and has worked her way up to the senior leadership team as an Associate Director.
Beki says, “I’m a huge advocate for apprenticeships. Having the opportunity to work on campaigns with such well-respected brands from the start of my career gave me the drive to challenge myself. Fast forward 15 years, I am now leading our client accounts and supporting the team’s own development – and I want our current and future team to have the same level of responsibility and ownership to grow.”
Kira joined ADPR as an apprentice in 2020, right at the start of the Covid pandemic and spent just two weeks in the office before we went into full lockdown – how’s that for resilience! Six years later, after completing her apprenticeship with a distinction and going on to achieve a First Class degree in PR and Communications, she’s now an Account Manager with ADPR.
Her advice for anyone considering an apprenticeship reflects a lot of what we’ve talked about. “Say yes to every opportunity and have the right attitude. Be curious, ask questions and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. Some of the experiences that have helped me progress the most were the ones that initially felt the most daunting!”
A final plug…
Whether you’re growing a PR agency, building an in-house marketing team or leading a business, the principle is the same. If you want experienced, capable leaders in five years’ time, you need to start creating opportunities today.
So, after that very sage advice 😉 we’ll end with a nice plug for apprenticeships at ADPR!
If you’re curious, ambitious and ready to start building a career in PR (or know someone who fits the bill), we’d love to hear from you. It could be the first step in a career that takes you further than you ever imagined.
Find out more about the role, here: www.adpr.co.uk/join-us or email: beki@adpr.co.uk with your CV and a covering letter.