If you communicate well, are comfortable dealing with the media, and are confident and have have good people skills, you should consider a career as a public relations specialist.

An organization’s reputation, profitability, and even its continued
existence can depend on the degree to which its targeted
“public” supports its goals and policies.  Public relations specialists—also known as communications specialists or
media specialists, among other titles—serve as advocates for
businesses, nonprofit associations, universities, hospitals, and
other organizations, and build and maintain positive relationships
with the public.

And more and more companies are turning to trained "PR" specialists to help keep a positive image with the public.  As managers recognize the growing importance of good public relations to the success of their organizations, they increasingly rely on public relations specialists for advice on the strategy and policy of such programs.

Public relations specialists handle a wide range of organizational functions, including media, community, consumer, industry, and governmental relations. They also manage political campaigns,  interest-group representations, conflict mediation and employee and investor relations. They help an organization and its public adapt mutually to each other.

However, public relations are not just about “telling the
organization’s story.” Understanding the attitudes and concerns
of consumers, employees, and various other groups also is a
vital part of the job. To improve communication, public relations
specialists establish and maintain cooperative relationships
with representatives of community, consumer, employee,
and public interest groups, and with representatives from print
and broadcast journalism.

Media specialists draft press releases and contact people in
the media who might print or broadcast their material. Many
radio or television special reports, newspaper stories, and magazine articles start at the desks of public relations specialists.
Sometimes, the subject is an organization and its policies towards
its employees or its role in the community. Often, the subject is
a public issue, such as health, energy, or the environment.

PR specialists also arrange and conduct programs to keep up contact between organization representatives and the public. For example, they set up speaking engagements and often prepare speeches for company officials. These media specialists
represent employers at community projects; make film,
slide, or other visual presentations at meetings and school assemblies; and plan conventions. In addition, they are responsible for preparing annual reports and writing proposals for various projects.

In government, public relations specialists—who may be
called press secretaries, information officers, public affairs specialists, or communication specialists—keep the public informed about the activities of government agencies and officials. Almost everyone has seen a presidential spokesperson on television giving the President's daily press briefing.

               Working Conditions

Depending on their company or organization, some public relations specialists work a standard 35- to 40-hour week, but unpaid overtime is common. Occasionally, they
must be at the job or on call around the clock, especially if there
is an emergency or crisis. Public relations offices are busy places;
work schedules can be irregular and frequently interrupted.
Schedules often have to be rearranged so that workers can meet
deadlines, deliver speeches, attend meetings and community
activities, or travel.


                     Employment

Public relations specialists held about 170,000 jobs in 2004.
Public relations specialists tend to be concentrated in service-providing industries like advertising and related services, health care, educational services,  and government. Others worked for communications firms, financial institutions, and government agencies. In all, about 11,000 public relations specialists were self-employed.

Public relations specialists tend to be concentrated in large cities,
where press services and other communications facilities are
readily available and many businesses and trade associations
have their headquarters. Many public relations consulting firms,
for example, are in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington, DC. There is a growing trend, however, for public relations jobs to be dispersed throughout the country, to be closer to clients.

        Training, and other qualifications

There are no defined standards for entry into a public relations
career. A college degree combined with public relations experience, usually gained through an internship, is considered excellent preparation for public relations work; in fact, internships are becoming vital to obtaining employment.

To work in public relations, the ability to communicate effectively is essential. Many entry-level PR specialists have a college major in public relations, journalism, advertising, or communication. Some firms seek college graduates who have worked in electronic or print journalism.

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor’s and
postsecondary degrees in public relations, usually in a journalism
or communications department. In addition, many other
colleges offer at least one course in this field.

In addition to courses in public relations principles
and techniques, a PR student might also take classes in writing,
emphasizing news releases, proposals, annual reports, scripts,
speeches, and related items; visual communications, including
desktop publishing and computer graphics; and research,
emphasizing social science research and survey design and
implementation. Specialties are offered in public relations for business, government, and nonprofit organizations.

Some colleges help students gain part-time internships in
public relations that provide valuable experience and training.
Membership in local chapters of the Public Relations Student Society of America (affiliated with the Public Relations Society of America) or the International Association of Business Communicators provides an opportunity for students to exchange views with public relations specialists and to make professional contacts that may help them find a job in the field. A portfolio of published articles, television or radio programs, slide presentations, and other work is also an asset in finding a job.

In addition to good communications skills, creativity, initiative, good judgment, and the ability to express thoughts clearly and simply are essential in PR work. Decision making, problem-solving, and research skills also are important. People who choose public relations as a career need an outgoing personality, self-confidence, an understanding of human psychology, and an enthusiasm for motivating people. They should be competitive, yet able to function as part of a team and open to new ideas.

Some organizations, particularly those with large public relations
staffs, have formal training programs for new employees.
In smaller organizations, new employees work under the guidance of experienced staff members. Beginners often maintain files of material about company activities, scan newspapers and magazines for appropriate articles to clip, and assemble information for speeches and pamphlets. They also may answer calls from the press and public, work on invitation lists and details for press conferences, or escort visitors and clients.

After gaining experience, a PR trainee may begin to write news releases, speeches, and articles for publication or design and carry out public relations programs. Public relations specialists in smaller firms usually get all-around experience, whereas those in larger firms tend to be more specialized.

Promotion to supervisory jobs may come as public relations
specialists show that they can handle more demanding assignments. In PR firms, a beginner might be hired as a research assistant or account coordinator and be promoted to account executive, senior account executive, account manager, and, eventually, vice president.  Some experienced
public relations specialists even start their own consulting firms.


                       Job Outlook

The job outlook for public relations specialists is good, although you can expect keen competition for entry-level public
relations jobs, as the number of qualified applicants is expected
to exceed the number of job openings through the end of this decade. Many people are attracted to this profession due to the high-profile nature of the work. Opportunities should be best for college graduates who combine a degree in journalism, public relations, advertising, or another communications-related field with a public relations internship or other related work experience. Applicants without the appropriate educational background or work experience will face the toughest obstacles.

Employment of public relations specialists is expected to
increase faster than the average for all occupations through
2012. The need for good public relations in an increasingly
competitive business environment should spur demand for
public relations specialists in organizations of all types and
sizes. The value of a company is measured not just by its
balance sheet, but also by the strength of its relationships with
those upon whom it depends for its success. And, in the wake
of corporate scandals, more emphasis will be placed on improving the image of the client, as well as building public
confidence.

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