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Jessica Riggins ENG 111 CBL 10/7/11 Informative Essay Lights! Camera! Action! When you were in high school, did you know what you wanted to be when you grew up? I didn’t have a clue; there were so many things to choose from. I finally made a choice to pursue something that fit my personality. However did you know, “Public Relations Specialists held about 275,200 jobs in 2008? “(Bureau of Labor Statistics, 5). Opportunities are best for college graduates who combine a degree in journalism, public relations, or another communications-related field with an internship in public relations.
Vicki Nelson Director of Development for the Lampion Center Stated, “Public relations is telling stories, other people stories, but also listening”. Training and education, nature of the work, and job outlook compounded with earnings for the future could help you decide if Public Relations Specialist is the career for you. Most important is the training and education requirements you will need to pursue this career.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook{OOH} points out, “A bachelor’s degree in a communications ??? related field combined with public relations experience is excellent preparation for a person interested in public relations work”(BLS, 3). According to Nelson, Most entry level public relation specialists studied public relations, journalism, marketing, or some type of communications in college. You can also major in advertising, political science, psychology, sociology, creative writing, and social services. Firms look for candidates who have worked with electronic or print journalism.
Other firms seek applicants who have some type of experience related in their field of work, for example; Healthcare, science, sales, and finance, according to the OOH. Ashley Murray a Public Relation Specialist for WNIN noted, “In college I liked advertising and fundraising, so I took a part-time job with WNIN”. One of the best routes for finding employment is doing a public relation internship. It provides you with valuable experience. Being able to communicate your thoughts clearly and simply is just a start to the many skills you will need to advance in this field.
If you choose public relations as a career, you should have an outgoing personality. According to the OOH, You must be creative, have good judgment, be able to work in a team, and also be assertive when needed. The OOH states, self ???confidence, an understanding of human psychology, and an enthusiasm for motivating people are key qualifications employers look for. Some other qualifications that will get you in the door are the ability to solve problems, make decisions quickly, and research skills. (BLS, 1-2) Most public relations offices are fast- paced.
The pressures of deadlines and tight work schedules can be stressful. The OOH points out, “Public relations specialists… serve as advocates for clients seeking to build and maintain positive relationships with the public” (BLS, 1). In addition to maintaining positive relationships with the public, public relations specialists handle a number of things: organizational functions, media, consumer, industry, and government relations. . Nelson stated, “I write grants, do TV interviews, give speeches in the community, but the most important thing I do is fundraising”.
Drafting press releases, contacting people in the media who might print or broadcast your material, and arranging and conducting programs to maintain contact between the public and your firm, are some of the daily tasks of public relations specialists. Murray said, “Being involved with the community and being a service leader is something I deal with every day. ” Murray also stated that, “Most people complain about the work load… you have to stay alert because things change quickly”.
According to the OOH, A typical work week for public relations specialists consist of 35-40 hours a week. There are many emergencies and crisis that happen in this career so you have to be on call at all times. There are times when you have to rearrange your schedules to comply with deadlines, community activities, and travel. (BLS, 3) Public relations specialists who can handle this accelerated workload are likely to be promoted to supervisory positions. Nelson stated, “You could be promoted to Executive Director”.
The public relations specialists who work with publicity for an individual deal with all aspects of the job. They may contact people, plan and research, and prepare materials for distribution; also, they handle advertising and sales promotion work to support their marketing efforts. The headquarters of many businesses and trade associations are located in large cities. Public relations specialists rely on the services of the press and other communications facilities to convey messages between these businesses and the public.
Be prepared to relocate or travel half or most of the fiscal calendar year. Nelson points out, “Some benefits for me are, working in a great community, getting to know people, media events, and offering help”. According to the OOH, Competition is keen in the career field, which is expected to grow over 20 percent in the next 10 years. The largest growth of jobs in this field is in advertising. Social media is also expected to increase job growth as well. The top 10 public relations specialists bring home an average salary of $98,000; the lowest percent on average make $30,000 a year.
As the need for good public relations specialists continues to rise, employers are looking for workers with specialized knowledge and international experience. Possessing experience in different language capabilities is needed in great demand (OOH, 6-7). Outgoing personalities are best for public relations specialists. Some things to keep in mind are the education requirements, the amount of time and work this career demands, and the outlook of this career in the future.
With this being said, while looking at this career choice you should be involved with the community, be assertive, and take as many writing and communications workshops as possible. I anticipate this information I’ve provided gives you a clear insight of all the aspects of this career. Murray stated, “Stick with it, it’s not something you’re going to make a million dollars from… you just have to be dedicated. Working with non-profit companies will benefit you, when you’re looking for a job with profitable companies”.