My Journey to becoming a Chartered PR Practitioner: Reflections and Tips

Blog post by: Thanzyl Thajudeen, Director of Mark&Comm. Thajudeen has worked with numerous local and multinational brands and organisations, directly with the leadership team, and has over 12 years of experience with a mix of in-house, freelance and agency-side. He is a Member of PRCA Asia Pacific Regional Board, PRCA Education Advisory Board, and CIPR International Committee. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Member of Chartered Institute of Public Relations, and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute. Thajudeen holds a postgraduate diploma in marketing from CIM and an executive MBA from the University of Colombo.

Thanzyl Thajudeen

When I decided to pursue the CIPR Chartered PR Practitioner status, it wasn’t because I wanted another qualification to add to my CV. It was more about confirming what I already lived and breathed every day in my professional life—integrity, strategy, and responsibility in communications.

How I prepared

I took the prep seriously but kept it grounded in reality. I read through all the materials CIPR provided, of course. But beyond that, I dug into my own work experiences and reflected on the challenges, decisions, and ethical dilemmas I’d faced over the years. The reference questions CIPR gave are really there to guide your thinking, not to be memorized. I used them as prompts to explore topics and took notes, but I didn’t plan to regurgitate answers on the day.

One key thing was becoming really familiar with the CIPR Code of Conduct. For me, this wasn’t a checklist I had to cram; it’s a code I’ve practiced throughout my career. So knowing it inside out was more about being confident that my daily work aligned with those principles.

During the Chartered Day

The day itself felt like a natural extension of what I do. It’s less about showing off what you’ve memorized and more about demonstrating your strategic thinking and professionalism. It helps to bring plenty of real work examples into the conversation—cases where you’ve had to navigate tricky situations, make tough calls, or lead with purpose.

Listening was equally important. The discussion flows best when you genuinely engage with others’ viewpoints, building on what they say and sharing your perspective without dominating the room. It felt like a rich professional dialogue rather than an exam.

Tips for anyone considering it

• Don’t over-prepare in a rigid way. Prepare by reflecting deeply on your own career and values.

• Use the reference questions as conversation starters, not scripts.

• Be very familiar with the CIPR Code of Conduct but remember it’s about your integrity in practice, not theory.

• Bring real, strategic examples from your own work to ground your answers.

• Listen actively and respond thoughtfully to others.

• Stay authentic. The chartership is about testing what you already know, what you already do, and who you already are professionally.

At the end of the day, the Chartered status isn’t just a title. It’s a confirmation of a professional mindset—strategic, ethical, and confident. And if that’s who you are, then the process will simply help you recognize that for yourself.

Ready to take the step towards Chartered status – visit the CIPR website to learn more.