Are you interested on how to become a PR? Then you are at the right place.
Working in public relations (PR) is a great option if you want to manage a company’s image and influence consumer behavior.
In order for a company to be successful, it must maintain a positive image in the eyes of the public.
As a result of the PR industry’s reputation for being a fun and exciting place to work, it can be difficult to land a job.
In this article, you will learn more about how to become a PR. Read on to know how to become a PR.
What is the Job of a PR Specialist?
P.R. specialists, also known as media experts or communications professionals, work to build and maintain a positive image for their clients.
P.R. pros raise a company’s profile without spending any money on traditional advertising; instead, they create media-friendly resources for journalists to use and cultivate relationships with those journalists themselves.
In addition to education, advertising, politics, and government, PR professionals work in a wide range of other industries, as well.
They may be referred to as press secretaries in politics and government. Public relations specialists’ day-to-day responsibilities include:
- Creating news stories.
2. Putting together media kits.
3. Keeping in touch with the media.
4. Keeping tabs on and improving their clients’ public image.
5. Developing a speech’s structure and content.
6. Organizing media appearances and interviews for their client’s CEOs.
7. Verifying and enhancing the public’s perception of a client’s brand through promotional campaign reviews.
8. Keeping tabs on and enhancing the client’s online reputation.
A public relations specialist can either work for the company they represent or for a PR firm that represents a variety of clients.
What a Public Relations Professional Makes in a Year
The average yearly salary for a public relations specialist in the United States is $61,150, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, though this can vary slightly by industry.
A breakdown of average salaries for various types of public relations professionals is provided below:
a. Private, state, and local education PRs earn an average of $57,940 per year.
b. The median annual salary for traditional public relations positions in marketing, advertising, and sales is $64,230.
c. Government services: The average annual salary for jobs in government public relations is $65,310.
d. There is an average annual salary of $66,340 for PR jobs that focus on business and politics.
What Skills do you Need to Become a Public Relations Professional?
Personality Traits:
To maintain a positive image for their organization, public relations specialists must be open and friendly to the public and the media on a regular basis.
The ability to manage multiple events simultaneously is an absolute necessity for public relations professionals.
Skills in Resolving Issues:
A company’s or client’s sensitive issues may necessitate a public relations explanation. When reporting, they need to exercise good judgment.
The Ability to Speak:
Communications professionals frequently represent their companies in public forums. For this, the organization’s stance needs to be made clear.
The Ability to Write:
Press releases and speeches that are organized and easy to understand are essential skills for public relations professionals.
In order to hold the interest of time-crunched readers or listeners, they must be able to quickly grasp the most important points and express them in a succinct manner.
How to Become a PR
You can become a highly qualified public relations specialist by following these steps:
1.A Bachelor’s Degree is Required.
A bachelor’s degree in journalism, public relations, communications, English, or business is typically required for media specialists.
Political science and public relations minors may be appropriate for those hoping to work in politics or government.
Candidates can also benefit from courses in public speaking, advertising, marketing, business administration, and creative writing.
2. Take Advantage of on-the-Job Training Opportunities.
Prior to applying for your first public relations job, an internship is a great way for students to gain real-world experience.
Getting an entry-level PR job can help you gain experience for your PR specialist resume if you’ve already completed an internship or graduated from college.
Job shadowing is a good way to learn about the PR industry, and it can help you build relationships with people in the industry who can help you land a job in the future.
3. Find out What Kind of Public Relations you Enjoy Doing.
Public relations specialists are employed by a wide range of industries, including:
Advertising
Public relations professionals in advertising may make sure that ads match the company’s brand and meet the expectations of their target audience.
Advertisement promotion is a great way to bring in some of your favorite pastimes into the workday.
Working as a media specialist for an outdoor gear company, for example, might be a good fit if you’re an avid hiker.
Education
Education public relations specialists may be responsible for raising funds for new facilities, purchasing equipment or hiring new teachers.
A university’s sports teams, prospective students, and big school events may also be promoted by education PR specialists.
Government
Press secretaries in government are responsible for a variety of communications tasks, such as informing the public about useful government programs, drafting press releases outlining the proper way to complete new tax forms, and coordinating public awareness campaigns for health and safety hotlines, amongst other things.
Politics
Press secretaries are another term for public relations professionals in politics.
Politicians’ spokespeople play an important role in maintaining their public image and responding to questions from journalists about their policies.
Business
Brand authenticity is a primary goal of public relations specialists in business, as they work to build trust with potential customers and craft company announcements for product launches or company-wide events.
4. Make an Effort to Join a Professional Group.
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) are two professional organizations that many public relations professionals join to improve their professional image (IABC).
In order to determine which professional association will best benefit your career, it’s important to do some research into your target industry.
The following are some of the perks that professional PR organizations typically offer their members:
a. Training for professional advancement
b. Conferences and other opportunities to meet new people
c. Confidence in one’s abilities
d. Recommendations for future employment
e. Honors and distinctions
5. A Certification May be in Your Best Interest
In most PR jobs, certification isn’t required, but it can help you stand out from the competition by demonstrating your professional competence, expertise and up-to-date skills.
It’s not necessary to join any professional PR organizations in order to pursue certifications.
If you’re unsure which certification is right for you, talk to a PR association that you’re thinking about joining to get some pointers on where to begin.
6. Compile a Portfolio of Your Work.
Many employers prefer to see a portfolio from a candidate applying for a position in public relations.
Your portfolio as a public relations expert can include the following items:
a. Bachelor’s degree coursework that was of a high standard
b. On-the-job training, an entry-level job or a shadowing experience are all examples of projects you’ve completed.
c. All your certification course assignments and projects, in any format you like
d. Your professional association may have contracted with you to complete training initiatives.
e. Samples that highlight your abilities in relation to the job for which you’re applying
It’s a good idea to include a few high-quality pieces that demonstrate specific skills in your portfolio, which you can do by creating a few examples of your work.
Finally
To get into public relations, you might like to consider working as a public relations specialist (PR). Preserving a client’s public image is the focus of this exciting and creative job.
It’s important to know what it takes to become a public relations specialist in order to get started in your job search.
There are many different ways to get into the field of PR, but this article focuses on what a PR specialist does, how much they make, and how to become one.
