For years, I toyed with the idea of becoming a Chartered CIPR Practitioner. But like many women, self-doubt crept in, and this later became amplified by the challenges of menopause and the ever-present negative inner voice whispering, “You’re not good enough.” But I was, and I should never have listened to my inner critic.
The reason for my blog – well that’s simple. We should dismiss those negative thoughts of self-doubt that hold us back; What’s the worst that can happen – we learn, we grow, and we move on. That’s how we become more knowledgeable, skilled, and of course, resilient too.
My journey.
I had let the inner critic prevent me from undertaking a Chartership Assessment for too long.
Fast forward to a conversation I had with a FirePro colleague who had successfully achieved their Chartership, and my ‘positive’ journey began. Their encouragement planted a seed that I could do it, and that I was good enough. I advocate the value of having a good supportive network – those that support and champion you – and of course we need to do that in return too.
I began getting curious – reading the CIPR Chartership guidance, watching webinars, and absorbing blog posts. Slowly, I started to believe – maybe I could do this.
Then, as if the CIPR gods were listening, an email landed in my inbox: a Chartership discount to celebrate the upcoming 1000th CIPR Chartered Practitioner in 2025. That was my sign. I took the plunge and signed up that day. I was now committed now – what had I done!
The assessment
Upon registering you receive an assessment pack two weeks in advance so that you can prepare; but truthfully, you have been preparing for this your whole career. It’s easy to forget how much knowledge, skill, and experience we accumulate in our roles. That’s what shines through on the day.
Preparation was intense. Ethics, Strategy, and Leadership—three areas to brush up on, each with case studies to spark discussion. I had moments of panic, convinced I was doing it all wrong. But I leaned on the support of amazing people around me who reassured me the day would be enjoyable and again that I could do it.
March 5th, 2025, arrived – I’d got the day off ready and planned to work from home without any disruptions. The assessment day was full-on and I mean full on – emotionally and mentally. In my first session – Ethics, I nearly hit the disconnect button out of sheer panic. Others were diving deep into the case studies, and I felt out of my depth due to blind panic. I’d read the case studies several times and understood them. I could talk about the key issues, but I didn’t want to do that – I wanted to talk about my own experiences and how I had dealt with them, so I did what all good comms professionals do on a daily basis. I adapted to the situation and decided to treat it like a media interview. I knew I had limited time to air my views, and I didn’t want to get into their case studies. I wanted to get my points across – I wanted to showcase me – my experiences with ethical dilemmas, how I had applied my knowledge and the professional advice I had given in those situations – so for those of you that have done media training, out came my Block, Bridge, Continue approach. I was able to reflect on how interesting some of the key points were in the case studies and bridge straight to my own ethical experiences and examples. That was the turning point – I was still nervous (this was important to me and what if I did not pass) but it was assured nervousness!
The day continued with two further sessions: Strategy and Leadership. My notes, pinned around my home office like mission control, reminded me: You CAN do this. And I did.
Feedback on the day
At the end of the day, we waited in a virtual breakout room for our results. It was great to chat to other candidates from all over the world – Zimbabwe, Cologne, Brussels and other places I can’t recall, and we came from a wide range of PR practice – agency professionals, public and private sector practitioners.
It was inspiring to hear their stories and hilarious when one lady forgot to switch her camera off when she leapt around the room hugging people as she got the news that she had passed. When my turn came, I landed in the virtual feedback room still full of nerves. Pleasantries exchanged about the day and how I had found it, and the lead assessor said, “Congratulations.” I barely heard anything else. I was emotional, relieved—and stunned to hear I was one of two standout candidates that day – proof you should not listen to your inner critic.
I share this not to boast, but to show that self-doubt doesn’t have to win. In our sector, especially with small comms teams, we become knowledgeable, skilled, adaptable, and resilient. That’s what got me my Chartership, and I am so proud I did.
So, if you’re thinking about putting yourself forward for Chartership status (or anything else that you let your inner critic hold you back from) – just do it. Prepare well, speak to those who have been through it, and trust in your experience and knowledge. You’re more ready than you think. And yes, you get CPD points too!
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Chartership assessment you do have to meet certain criteria. You can read that here along with information about the cost, the assessment day schedule and staying Chartered.
Happy to help.
If you want to chat about the process, I am more than happy to help. There’s also a list of CIPR buddies available.
Let’s lift each other up and keep showing the world how brilliant we comms folk are.
Rachel Palmer, Communications and Engagement Manager at Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service
