The APR Journey: A Case Study

Jeffrey M. BishopMarketing and Communication Director

VHA Employee Education System

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Why You? Why Now?

• Why did you come to this optional seminar?• Why are you interested in APR?• Why now?

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WIIFMs / Top Reasons for APR

Our industry’s recognition of expertise and experience

Mid-career milestone

Career capstone

Be competitive in hiring situations

The process is continuing education in itself

Fill the empty hours in the lives of empty nesters, cat ladies and workaholics

Identify – and fill – critical knowledge and skill gaps

Stand out from peers

Recognition of strategic / managerial-level versus technician-level of expertise

Initials in your sig block – the VHA version of flair

Enhance the professionalism of the profession Personal satisfactionRespect of colleagues and leaders

Confidence Boost

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The Basics: APR Facts and Figures

• Voluntary credential• Managed by Universal Accreditation Board• Not a license: thus, not needed to practice PR• With ABC, one of only two main PR credentials

• 50th Anniversary in 2014• Variants include:• APR (~3,800 professionals / 18% of PRSA members)• APR-M (~30 military / PAO professionals)• P-APR (Beta test of the entry level credential now)

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The Components of APR

Pre-requisites:• Experience – 5 years• Education – bachelor’s or equivalent in experience• Expertise – management-level PR knowledge, skills and

abilities, as validated by readiness review and CBT

Plus

• Membership in one of 8 PR professional organizations

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The Components of APR

Prerequisites validated by• Responses to a 16-item Readiness Review Questionnaire • Comprehensive Communication Plan with RPIE• Readiness Review• Computer-based examination

Designed to determine your proficiency in 16 KSAs

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Readiness Review Questionnaire

• 16 questions in three sections:• Your organization and your role• Your experience• Self-assessment of readiness for the CBT

• ~ 1-page essay response to each• “Complete but brief”

• Includes “executive summary” of your Comm Plan• Provided in advance of the Readiness Review• No other portfolio materials provided in advance

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Readiness Review: Facts and Figures

• 2-3 hour event led by local APR chair and 2 other APRs• Part presentation, part interview• Plan to formally present your communication plan • Be ready to discuss in depth and respond thoughtfully

• Technology discouraged – no projectors!• Murphy’s law applies significantly to tech!• Can be a crutch or can mask solid presentation skills

The Readiness Review assesses “soft skills” not easily assessed by CBT

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Readiness Review: Critical Competencies

• Creative Conceptualization / Creativity• Initiative• Interpersonal Skills• Management Skills• Client / Employer

/ Organizational Focus• Multi-tasking• Flexibility

• Teaches Others• Time Management• Uses Multiple Delivery

Mechanisms• Control Analysis• Speaking• Interviewing• Writing / Editing• Listening• Presentation skills

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Readiness Review: Scoring / Passing

• Candidate earns either Advanced or Not Advanced• Each of 16 Readiness Review KSAs assessed on 0-3 scale• 0 = no evidence of KSA / 3 = exceptional KSA• Must get at least 32 points and have no less than 1

point in all 16 KSAs (no zeroes)• Up to two voting rounds• Second round only if first round is Not Advanced• Second round follows panel discussion of scores

• Candidate notified in writing by mail within ~2 weeks

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CBT: Facts and Figures

• 3 ½ hour test at nearest Prometric Center• ~190 Questions, multiple choice• Some questions have multiple responses• Looking for the “best answer”• Includes ~45 non-scored beta questions

• Questions presented in the approximate ratio of weight• Passing score: 67% correct• Unclear if that’s in total or for each KSA

• Instant gratification: print-out at end provides pass/fail and percent score by KSA

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CBT: Critical Competencies / Weights

RPIE30%

Ethics / Law15%

Comm Theories15%

Business10%

Mgmt Skills10%

Crisis Comms

10%

Media5%

IT2%

History2%

Advanced PR1%

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Costs

TIME!Money

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Insights: Questionnaire

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Insights: Portfolio

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Insights: Readiness Review

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Insights: Computer-Based Test

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APR Timelines Compared

Their recommendationM1 M1 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9

M10

M11

M12

M1 M1 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9M10

M11

M12

M13

M14

M15

M16

M17

M18

Questionnaire/Preparations

Study/Test Prep

Study/Test Prep

Questionnaire/Preparations

My reality

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Maintaining APR

Post-requisites:• Membership in a UAB member organization• Ethics – agree to abide by PRSA Code of Ethics • Continuing education and/or service requirements• Assessed every 3 years• At least 10 points required from a diverse variety of

areas, including earning awards, publishing, presenting, instructing, attending seminars, pro bono work, and more

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Resources

Universal Accreditation Board• http://www.praccreditation.org/

PRSA Accreditation Page• http://www.prsa.org/Learning/Accreditation

Online APR Demo test• http://www.praccreditation.org/aprdemo/index.htm

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