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Public Relations Public Relations
About the Field Public Relations is building, maintaining or promoting the reputation or image of a company, product, personality, organization or cause that will impact and influence public opinion, alter behavior, generate interest and support or enhance a favorable image or reputation. The Public Relations (PR) professional is responsible for creating and maintaining the image its client wishes to project. It is a serious profession where dedication, experience and education are essential. Today's PR professional must be a strategic planner and problem- solver with an ability to be creative, perceptive and persuasive. People in this field are above average communicators with strong interpersonal skills and an ability to build images. They are multi-taskers with emotional intelligence, who can impact change behind the scenes while maintaining a high degree of team spirit.
The main components to Public Relations (each not necessarily a part of all corporations, organizations or public relations firms), are: Media Relations - perhaps the most dominant function of public relations. Speechwriters - focus is primarily to write speeches for the CEO and other top executives. Issues Management - deals with matters affecting corporations in the present and potential future. Employee Communications - prepare quarterly and annual reports for the organization, and employee publications. Corporate Contributions - oversees the policy and contributions for the company. Community Relations - the key to the organization's involvement in the local and national community. Public Affairs - helps an organization understand and communicate with the government and its agencies.
Nature of Work & Lifestyle It does not matter if you are interested in working at a large or small public relations firm or in the public relations department of a large corporation; the work environment is fast-paced, demanding, and very competitive. Those interested in the field should be mature, creative, resistant to stress, highly motivated and flexible, yet decisive and able to take risks. It is a myth that public relations is glamorous and that PR professionals "do lunch" and "shmooze" all day. Exciting yes, but glamorous it is not. They must attend client meetings that can begin at 7 am or as late as 7 pm, or make major revisions of articles or speeches with a short turn-around-time. In some cases, PR professionals are required to travel out of town several days a month. They must always be prepared to meet with top executives at unscheduled times.
Skills Successful PR professionals possess several of the following skills and abilities:
Education & Preparation It is recommended that the PR professional have a BA or BS degree in PR/Communications, Marketing, Advertising, Economics, English Literature or Journalism. However, there are increasing number of PR professionals with Master's degrees in Communications and Business Administration. Familiarity with word processing, data base applications and the Internet are important due to high-tech, hot growth industries, and the high demand for services. Internships in the field are highly recommended. Starting Salaries $20,500 to $31,000 (NACE July 1999 Salary Survey - average yearly salary offers).
CDC Resources Career Opportunities in Advertising and Public Relations, Shelly Field Careers in Communications, Shonan Noronha How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist, Caroll Michels Making It In Public Relations, Leonard Mogel Public Relations Career Directory, Ronald W. Fry Public Relations: Hot New Industry for the 90s, Alumni Resources (Additional Resources are available. Please inquire at the front desk)
Professional Associations Public Relations
Society of America (PRSA) - HQ
International
Association of Business Communicators (IABC) - HQ
Media Alliance
Press Club of
San Francisco
Women in Communications,
Inc.
Resources for Joblistings San Jose Mercury News (Sunday/Monday editions) San Francisco Chronicle ( Sunday Edition) Adweek
Newsletters Bulldog Reporter, 1.800.959.1059 | www.infocomgroup.com Business Wire Newsletter, 415.986.4422 PR Career Opportunities (published by PRSA) 202.408.7904 | email: psracareer@aol.com Leads (published by IABC), 415.543.2111 PR Marcom Jobs East, 212.962.9100 PR Marcom
Jobs Mid-America, West: Northern California/Pacific Northwest, West: Southern
California
Internet Resources
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