PR Talent Crisis: How to Build a Team and Work with Zoomers

In every company, the word “PR specialist” means something different. Some are looking for someone with a journalist contact list, while others need a strategist who can build communication from scratch. Alexander Likhtman, CEO of ITCOMMS, shares how he built PR teams in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, what common mistakes he has seen on the market, and why he values soft skills over connections.

In October 2025, Alexander joined a live broadcast hosted by We Project, where he spoke about the PR industry’s growing talent shortage.

Is There a Talent Crisis in PR?

The problems start early. Every company defines “PR professional” differently. For ten job openings, you’ll find ten completely different descriptions — and sometimes it’s not even clear who they’re actually looking for.

Some imagine a PR person as someone “who knows all the journalists” — and to whom you can “bring the money,” bluntly speaking. Others see a strategist capable of seeing the big picture, gathering insights from all stakeholders, and shaping a communication strategy. These are completely different roles, each requiring different skill sets and, often, different people altogether.

That’s why companies often struggle: they’re looking for a “PR person” but don’t really know which kind — so no candidate seems to fit.

The market is indeed empty. I used to teach at a university PR department and saw firsthand how outdated the programs are — heavy on theory, with little practical relevance. Many students go into PR because they “didn’t know where else to go” or because someone told them “it’s cool.”

As a result, the market is tough: few strong professionals and a real struggle to find good ones.

Building Teams in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

I immediately ruled out people with government backgrounds. Press secretaries are not PR specialists — they have a different mindset and success criteria.

We first defined clearly what kind of PR person we needed. In Kazakhstan, we relied on past tech experience. In Uzbekistan, it was harder — there simply weren’t people with backgrounds in, say, IT parks. So we took a leap of faith: hiring based on soft skills. And honestly, that approach worked — almost flawlessly.

For us, soft skills come first, because hard skills (connections, tools, channel know-how) can be developed quickly. If a person is communicative, empathetic, and thinks systematically — we can teach the rest.

We use HeadHunter, LinkedIn, and occasionally the agency’s Instagram for hiring. Recommendations are rare — they often come from personal favors rather than genuine professional evaluation.

How We Select Candidates

When we hire, we know exactly what we’re looking for. We use a grading system — categorizing people by level. If someone matches 80% of the criteria — we hire. At 60%, we either offer a lower position or don’t proceed at all.

For juniors, we look for fast thinking, the ability to ask questions, build logical connections, curiosity, and a willingness to learn — the last one is essential.

We have a great system for developing juniors — internships. People work on real projects in a “safe sandbox” and get paid. Those who don’t drop out and show potential stay with us as junior specialists.

Who’s in Demand in Kazakhstan’s PR Market?

Recently, I saw a figure: there are 16,000 open PR manager positions in Kazakhstan — compared to 7,000 for teachers. That means PR specialists are in even higher demand than educators.

Finding juniors isn’t hard, but PR directors are a real challenge. It once took us four months to fill such a role. Many people think they’re already “directors,” though they’re not quite there yet.

Mid-level specialists are tricky too: many are very narrow experts, but not in our field. Personally, I prefer to grow talent internally — it’s predictable and helps integrate our company DNA, as ambitious as that may sound.

How to Retain People

We don’t have an HR department or special “retention programs.” Our entire team works remotely from different parts of the world.

What keeps us connected are internal reflection sessions — both personal and team-based — where everyone can safely receive feedback. It works better than any “teambuilding event.”

Working with Zoomers

It’s easy to blame your inability to work with someone on “generational differences.” Saying, “Well, that’s just how they are.” I don’t agree.If you respect a person and treat them as an equal, most problems disappear.

The Future of PR and Digital Jobs

It’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, more businesses — not just large but also mid-sized — are starting to understand the value of PR, which means demand will rise and the talent gap will widen.

On the other hand, more courses and internships are emerging, helping newcomers enter the profession. So overall, the market likely won’t change dramatically.

Advice for Building a Strong Team

Trust your team. Trust the people you hire — and remember: they’re probably smarter than you.Don’t try to control everything — lack of trust limits your team, and that limits your results.