Reputation Protection and Enhancement
On a typical day, Purdy will find herself fielding requests from the media, coaching her team, and offering guidance to those who speak on SAIT’s behalf. She also crafts statements with her team on various topics of interest. “I’ve been quoted in a number of places that have made my parents proud,” she jokes.
Purdy says that her team’s mandate is to protect and enhance SAIT’s reputation. It’s a phrase she repeated several times, a sign that her experience has resulted in sharp focus.
Communications Not for the Faint of Heart
Part of Purdy’s job is to monitor social media activity related to the school. This ranges from the fairly routine, such as students discussing courses and instructors, to more pressing issues such as the pandemic, or Calgary’s recent water use restrictions in the wake of a damaged pipeline. Prominent politicians will sometimes visit the campus to make announcements, which can also cause debate online.
While engaging in this type of activity is not for the weak, Purdy relishes the role.
“If there’s an issue going on, I want to be in the trenches,” she says. “Other people may find online negativity to be damaging to their mental health, but I live for the role.”
Her toughness is a result of experience. “I sometimes joke that I’m a little bit dead inside, because I’ve seen a lot of different scenarios unfold online,” she says.
Purdy’s career path has put her on all sides of the PR spectrum.
“The first organization I worked for was beloved online, while the second one was often criticized,” she says. “SAIT is the perfect mix for me.”
Hands-on Experience Valuable in Leadership
At 37, Purdy is old enough to remember the genesis of social media, but young enough to be adjacent to the school’s core audience. Her thesis, written at Mount Royal University during the early days of social media, focussed on the pros and cons of organizations taking part in the new phenomenon. Today that decision is a no-brainer.
“When I began at SAIT, I wanted our social media accounts to be noticed by other post-secondary institutions,” she says. “Reels weren’t as prominent then, so it was more important to be clever in your captions.”
Purdy found that she enjoyed sharing her experience with others, which made her a natural choice for a leadership position. She credits her team with helping her stay current.
“The social team is young, which is great,” she says. “I can provide a foundation based on what I’ve learned along the way and they can put a fresh spin on it.”
Purdy believes that a key to her success is the hands-on experience she’s collected in the industry.
“If I tell a member of the team that there’s a piece of garbage in the background of their photo and they need to reshoot it, I know how that feels, because I’ve been there,” she says. “If I’m asking them to do something, there’s a lesson involved.”
Advice for Aspiring Communications Professionals
While creativity and wit are good traits for a person in communications or social media management to possess, they’re just the beginning.
“It’s important to consider the impact of statements and the risk involved,” Purdy says. “Social media posts are not a ‘set it and forget it’ activity. You have to monitor the content and see what’s resonating.”
Another important step for those looking for a career in the field is to do the homework. Purdy says that an annual report or strategic plan will offer valuable information about an organization’s priorities and tone. Social media is another obvious opportunity to gain these understandings.
“Doing your research shows that you care,” she says. “We’re always impressed by candidates that have strong knowledge about recent events at SAIT.”
Purdy explains that good storytelling skills can be applied to any industry and that an important part of the job is the ability to translate complex terms into everyday language.
“Do you think I know everything about drones?” she jokes. “Absolutely not, but I have a strong foundation of knowledgeable people that I can engage with and ask questions. I tell them to explain things to me like I was in grade one.”
Passing on Knowledge
“SAIT is very fast-paced,” says Purdy. “Anything could come up at any given time.”
She clearly loves her job and enjoys being a part of the transfer of knowledge and wisdom. “Those who are new to the industry should become sponges,” she says. “The best hires are those who have a foundational knowledge of communications and are open to learning. It’s not the type of environment where you can take over on day one.”
Cited Sources
1 Direct communication with Jill Purdy
