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About:
Communications Degree
Significant Points
Although employment is projected to increase much faster
than the average, keen competition is expected for entry-level
jobs.
Opportunities should be best for college graduates who
combine a degree in public relations or other communications-related
fields with a public relations internship or other related
work experience.
The ability to write and speak well is essential.
Other Jobs include:
Advertising
Educational services
Health services
Management and public relations services
Social services, except child care
State and local government, except education and health
Nature of the Work
An organization's reputation, profitability,
and even its continued existence can depend on the degree
to which its targeted "publics" support its
goals and policies. Public relations specialists serve
as advocates for businesses, nonprofit associations,
universities, hospitals, and other organizations, and
build and maintain positive relationships 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
organizational functions such as media, community, consumer,
and governmental relations; political campaigns; interest-group
representation; conflict mediation; or employee and
investor relations. However, public relations is not
only "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 communications, 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.
Informing the general public, interest
groups, and stockholders of an organization's policies,
activities, and accomplishments is an important part
of a public relations specialist's job. The work also
involves keeping management aware of public attitudes
and concerns of the many groups and organizations with
which they must deal.
Public relations specialists prepare
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.
Public relations 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 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 communications specialists—keep
the public informed about the activities of government
agencies and officials. For example, public affairs
specialists in the Department of State keep the public
informed of travel advisories and of U.S. positions
on foreign issues. A press secretary for a member of
Congress keeps constituents aware of the representative's
accomplishments.
In large organizations, the key public
relations executive, who often is a vice president,
may develop overall plans and policies with other executives.
In addition, public relations departments employ public
relations specialists to write, research, prepare materials,
maintain contacts, and respond to inquiries.
People who handle publicity for an individual
or who direct public relations for a small organization
may deal with all aspects of the job. They contact people,
plan and research, and prepare material for distribution.
They also may handle advertising or sales promotion
work to support marketing.
Working Conditions
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 137,000 jobs in 2000.
About 6 out of 10 salaried public relations specialists
worked in services industries—management and public
relations firms, membership organizations, educational
institutions, healthcare organizations, social service
agencies, and advertising agencies, for example. Others
worked for communications firms, financial institutions,
and government agencies. About 8,600 public relations
specialists were self-employed.
Public relations specialists are 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, Chicago, and Washington, DC.
There is a trend, however, for public relations jobs
to be dispersed throughout the Nation, closer to clients.
Training, Other Qualifications,
and Advancement
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.
The ability to write and speak well is essential. Many
entry-level public relations specialists have a college
major in public relations, journalism, advertising,
or communications. Some firms seek college graduates
who have worked in electronic or print journalism. Other
employers seek applicants with demonstrated communications
skills and training or experience in a field related
to the firm's business—science, engineering, sales,
or finance, for example.
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. A common public relations sequence
includes courses in public relations principles and
techniques; public relations management and administration,
including organizational development; 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. Courses in advertising, journalism,
business administration, finance, political science,
psychology, sociology, and creative writing also are
helpful. Specialties are offered in public relations
for business, government, and nonprofit organizations.
Many colleges help students gain part-time
internships in public relations that provide valuable
experience and training. The Armed Forces also can be
an excellent place to gain training and experience.
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 an asset in finding a job. Writing for
a school publication or television or radio station
provides valuable experience and material for one's
portfolio.
Creativity, initiative, good judgment,
and the ability to express thoughts clearly and simply
are essential. 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
flexible, and able to function as part of a team.
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, they 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.
The Public Relations Society of America
accredits public relations specialists who have at least
5 years of experience in the field and have passed a
comprehensive 6-hour examination (5 hours written, 1
hour oral). The International Association of Business
Communicators also has an accreditation program for
professionals in the communications field, including
public relations specialists. Those who meet all the
requirements of the program earn the Accredited Business
Communicator designation. Candidates must have at least
5 years of experience in a communication field and pass
a written and oral examination. They also must submit
a portfolio of work samples demonstrating involvement
in a range of communication projects and a thorough
understanding of communication planning. Employers may
consider professional recognition through accreditation
a sign of competence in this field, which could be especially
helpful in a competitive job market.
Promotion to supervisory jobs may come
as public relations specialists show that they can handle
more demanding assignments. In public relations firms,
a beginner may be hired as a research assistant or account
assistant and be promoted to account executive, account
supervisor, vice president, and, eventually, senior
vice president. A similar career path is followed in
corporate public relations, although the titles may
differ. Some experienced public relations specialists
start their own consulting firms. (For more information
on public relations managers, see the Handbook statement
on advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations,
and sales managers.)
Job Outlook
Keen competition will likely
continue for entry-level public relations jobs as the
number of qualified applicants is expected to exceed
the number of job openings. Many people are attracted
to this profession due to the high-profile nature of
the work and the relative ease of entry. 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 much faster than the average
for all occupations through 2010. The need for good
public relations in an increasingly competitive business
environment should spur demand for public relations
specialists in organizations of all sizes. Employment
in public relations firms should grow as firms hire
contractors to provide public relations services rather
than support full-time staff. In addition to employment
growth, job opportunities should result from the need
to replace public relations specialists who take other
jobs or who leave the occupation altogether.
Earnings
Median annual earnings for salaried
public relations specialists were $39,580 in 2000. The
middle 50 percent earned between $29,610 and $53,620;
the lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,780, and
the top 10 percent earned more than $70,480. Median
annual earnings in the industries employing the largest
numbers of public relations specialists in 2000 were:
Management and public relations $43,690
Local government 40,760
State government 39,560
Colleges and universities 35,080
According to a joint survey conducted
by the International Association of Business Communicators
and the Public Relations Society of America, the median
annual income for a public relations specialist was
$39,000 in 1999.
Related Occupations
Public relations specialists create
favorable attitudes among various organizations, special
interest groups, and the public through effective communication.
Other workers with similar jobs include advertising,
marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers;
demonstrators, product promoters, and models; news analysts,
reporters, and correspondents; lawyers; and police and
detectives involved in community relations.
Sources of Additional Information
Disclaimer:Links to non-BLS Internet
sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute
an endorsement.
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