Mr. Media Training

I recently received a tweet from Heather Harder, a North Carolina college student, who asked: “What should college students interested in media training be doing now to prepare?”

That’s a good question, one I hear not only from college students, but also from other professionals hoping to make a career switch. So in today’s post, I’ll give you my thoughts regarding making your way into our exciting industry.

First, check out my article about how to select a media trainer. It offers 11 tips buyers should consider when shopping around for a trainer – and it will offer you some insights into what I consider to be important qualities in a trainer.

Since media training is not an entry-level job, Heather will need to gain professional experience first.

She can get that experience in one of two places: by working as a journalist or by working with journalists as a public relations representative. Heather should be able to find an entry-level job with a community newspaper, a small radio or television station, or as a staffer in the communications shop of a company or not-for-profit organization.

If she really wants to challenge herself, she should accept a position with an organization in crisis. For example, I recently noticed that the Komen Foundation – which just endured a bruising public relations battle – was hiring a senior communications professional. Although Heather won’t qualify for the senior position, she should keep her eyes out for an entry level position with a similarly scandal-struck group. There’s no better way to learn than being thrown straight into the fire.

Media training requires not only knowledge of the media, but also the ability to teach the information in a way that’s likely to resonate with trainees. So Heather should look for every opportunity to lead workshops, develop session agendas, and coach people. Knowing the facts is one thing; knowing how to teach them is quite another.

There are a few other things Heather can do now. She can write for her college newspaper or write a blog, keeping an eye out for opportunities to analyze the communications skills of public figures. She should read books and blogs written by media trainers. And she should follow a few journalism websites as well, to help make sure she’s getting the broadest perspective possible.

Thanks for the message, Heather. I look forward to hearing great things from you in our industry!

Have the best of the blog delivered to your inbox twice per month! Enter your name in the box on the upper right of the blog to join our mailing list.

There are many media training firms out there, and several of them are quite good. But how can you tell the great ones from the mediocre ones?

Today, I present 11 things you should look for when shopping for a media trainer.

There’s always a risk that these lists are purposefully written to exclude every other firm but the firm writing the list. So I’ve challenged myself to write an intellectually honest list that allows many other high-quality firms to meet these criteria as well.

I hope it accomplishes my goal of being an objective list that helps you select the best trainer for your company.

1. Does The Firm “Look” Professional? This is a pretty basic requirement – if the company you’re considering doesn’t have a professional-looking website, you should be concerned. Are there good trainers with lousy websites? Yes, probably. But the firms I respect most have the refined look they should.

2. Do They Have High-Quality References? You’ve probably heard the expression that the best marketing is a happy client. I can think of a dozen firms that all have top-notch client references on their websites, and that’s good news for you. But don’t stop there. Call or email three of their clients. If the trainer is unwilling or unable to provide three quality references, move on.

3. Who Will Be Doing the Training? Larger companies don’t always send the firm’s principal to do your training. That’s not necessarily a problem. But do find out who’s doing the training, how often they train, and get specific references on the trainer, as well as the firm.

4. What Is The Tone of the Workshop? When checking references, ask them to describe the tone of the workshop. I believe good trainers are high on the EQ (emotional intelligence) scale – that they are able to sense the vulnerabilities of the trainees and instantly adjust their training styles to fit the trainees’  needs. Like a good surgeon, a good trainer cuts open a trainee, exposes their vulnerabilities in a safe environment, and sews them up at the end – stronger and better than they were before.

5. Is The Workshop Customized? Media training should be completely customized. For a full-day workshop, we develop numerous questions specific to the organization we’re working with and use examples from the client’s industry. If the firm uses a canned “off-the-shelf” presentation, run the other way.

6. Do They Have Journalism Experience? I worked at both ABC News and CNN. Not surprisingly, I think journalism experience is critical in a good media trainer. But I may surprise you by saying that I’ve encountered media trainers who don’t have journalism experience but are quite good. I’d be a little concerned if the trainer has worked with journalists on the client side for 25 years without ever working in a newsroom – but I wouldn’t exclude them from consideration on that measurement alone.

7. Do They Have Training Experience? I regularly get phone calls from people who just left a journalism career and want to become a media trainer. But almost always, they’ve never run a workshop. Or had experience as a teacher or facilitator. And too many have never done any form of public speaking. Journalism experience is one thing – but if they don’t have extensive experience as an instructor, forget it.

8. Do They Have Industry Experience? Actually, I don’t think this is particularly important. I’m mentioning it anyway since some clients prefer to work with a firm that has experience in their industry. In my experience, too much knowledge can occasionally prevent the trainer from seeing the 35,000-foot level, meaning both trainer and trainee spend too much time in the weeds. Media trainers should be expert in the process of helping spokespersons refine their messages and deliver them well – not necessarily in the content.

9. Do They Offer Post-Training Education? No one can learn everything in a day. What does the firm do to extend the education past the training day? Do they include follow-up phone calls, newsletters, blog articles, videos, and/or other learning opportunities?

10. Do They Have a Blog, a Book, or Regularly-Published Articles? Read everything you can by the firm. If they have a blog, read it. Google them to see their published articles. I have not published a book, but  I’m impressed with those who have – especially those published by third parties. Self-published books are often quite good, but are harder to gauge without reading since they haven’t been automatically blessed with the credibility of an outside publisher. 

11. What Is Their Standing In The Industry? Is the firm a lone wolf or an industry thought leader? Are they a regularly-cited expert source? Do they publish white papers or challenge outdated industry advice? A quick Google search often answers some of these questions. And don’t be afraid to ask the firm to talk about the role they play in the industry.

What have I missed here? Are there other qualities that are important to you when selecting a trainer? Please leave your comments in the section below – and if you’re “in the biz,” please identify yourself as such.

Related: The 21 Most Essential Media Training Links