Press Releases and Pacifiers

How mothers in public relations achieve success in work and life

By Madeleine Brooks, senior, public relations

One night in 2002, Marcy Walsh received a frantic call from one of her clients at a large medical company.

As vice president of national public-relations firm CRT/Tanaka, Walsh was told that a scandal had broken and that she was needed on-site in order to manage the crisis.

Walsh had never said no to a client before. But this time she was nine-months pregnant and was simply unable to take the two-hour flight.

"It was my first realization that I, as a mother, would have to say no at times," she says.

With this realization, Walsh found herself in a position familiar to many mothers in the business world, but maybe especially so to those in public relations, where a crisis may call at any moment and hours can be long and unpredictable.

Public relations typically ranks among the top 15 most stressful professions, according to jobsrated.com, an online job-search database.

For women who want to start a family, the challenge of a work-life balance can make it that much more stressful.

A 2008 article in the Strategist -- a publication of the Public Relations Society of America -- reported the results of a survey of mothers in public relations and their ability to achieve a work-life balance. The article, "Bringing Up Baby: the Impact of Motherhood on Career Advancement," reported mother-practitioners feeling that their chances for success declined after having children.

Respondents also seemed to accept it as part of the territory, even if being a mom in the public relations industry presents conflicts and hard choices that others may not face.

"The reality is that I work fewer hours than my counterparts and make lower salary increases in return," said one respondent. "Women do have choices about working more or less to accommodate their careers or their families as they see fit, but you can't really have both."

Marika Flatt, founder and owner of PR by the Book, who is also a mother of three, says it's challenging to be a good mother while succeeding professionally at a large agency.

"Most firms require over 40 hours per week in an office setting, which is usually not enough flexibility for an involved mom," says Flatt.

According to jobsrated.com, the average public relations practitioner spends about 45 hours per week at work, slightly less than the 50 hours per week reported by the Strategist.

Yet Walsh provides hope to those who dream of working for a large agency and having a family, because not all agencies are the same.

"I am very lucky to work for a company which allowed me to bring my baby to work with me for a full year," she says. "CRT/Tanaka is extremely flexible and really more like a supportive family."

Sarah Russ, vice president and general manager at Waggener Edstrom, the second largest independent public-relations firm in the world, says that despite the extra demands on mothers, employers don't necessarily see this as a liability.

"Besides the fact that [job discrimination] is illegal, we would never look at a mother and automatically think she was an inferior candidate," says Russ. "Everybody has problems and challenges, so no one is automatically a better candidate. If my dog were making noise during a business call I would have to deal with that, too."

Russ adds that a lot of public relations work is done through e-mail, which gives mothers increased flexibility.

Flatt is an example of the flexibility afforded by new technology. She started her own company and became her own boss working from home.

"I work 30 to 35 hours per week," she says. "At times it's stressful, but overall I probably have a less stressful job than most PR execs. Making decisions around my own schedule and priorities allows me to be there for my family and be successful in my career."

Many women have found success in adapting their work schedules to accommodate their families. Others have discovered that their families can adapt to accommodate them.

For example, new evidence suggests that dads are becoming more accepting of the mother-as-breadwinner family structure. According to a careerbuilder.com survey, over one-third of fathers currently in the workplace would gladly cut their hours or even quit if their significant others were making enough to support the family.

"I have friends and colleagues whose husbands stay home by choice," says Russ. "They share responsibilities, so it's less of an issue for moms alone these days."

Russ, Flatt and Walsh all agree that women's chances of success in the workplace are constantly growing. And while it may be hard to be a mom and a professional, it's certainly do-able.

Here's some simple advice from Flatt and Walsh to help prospective moms maintain sanity in the career world:

Research each firm's work environment, and pick the one that suits you

Work hard early to pay your dues before starting a family

Be open with colleagues about your time constraints

Provide employees who don't have children with the same amount of flexibility

Seek out advice from colleagues who are also mothers

Don't feel guilty about hiring a qualified nanny; it's OK for kids to trust someone other than their mothers