Editorial Record: Submitted June 16, 2025. Revised February 7, 2026. Accepted June 2, 2026.

Authors

ABSTRACT

Stage 1 of Professional Identity provides a basis to explore how college helps prepare students for entering the workforce, especially given the prevalence of Generation Z issues represented in the professional literature in the public relations field. The literature review examines Gen Z along with studies of practitioners and students and their views of their preparation. Using in-depth interviews with practitioners, this study explored qualitatively what public relations practitioners consider “work ready” to mean. The interviewees reflected on elements related to Knowledge, Skills and Abilities, and one example was in the area of writing with some expressing satisfaction and others feeling students still need work. Beyond the KSAs, however, were a number of mentions of a variety of “social intelligence” concepts ranging from being curious to interpersonal abilities. In particular, practitioners wanted to see the new hires ready to participate, ask questions, and be engaged. One other area which practitioners identified was the need for experience – in volunteer work, internships, and generally being engaged in extracurricular organizations. Suggestions focus on the curriculum and classroom – especially in helping develop immersive experiences for the students so that they can demonstrate and have confidence in their “Work Ready Intelligence.”