How to become A Public Relations Officer

Public relations (PR) is a concept familiar to many, but not everyone may know what it means. A Public Relation Officer's role is vital for every company as the job entails distributing the correct details to the right places and people to build a brand's reputation. One of the significant contributors to a company’s success is how well it can introduce its idea, product, or service into a network, and then maintain and expand its scope.

• Consultant
• Press Agent
• Publicist
• Representative

What do Public Relations Officers do?

A Public Relations Officer would typically need to:

• Study organisational objectives, promotional policies, and requirements to develop public and media relations strategies and campaigns that can build and maintain favourable public and stakeholder opinion and promote ideas, products, and services
• Organise and be present at PR events, such as press conferences, open days, exhibitions, tours and visits; act as the company’s spokesperson, speaking publicly at these events; train clients in developing effective communication skills
• Seek partnerships and sponsorships; maintain relationships with employees, consumers, community, and public interest groups; manage PR issues
• Collaborate with other departments of the company; communicate with clients, management, and the journalist department regarding goals, strategies, and budget; counsel managers on business decisions
• Ensure market research is conducted; follow industry trends; track and analyse media coverage; inform clients about new promotional opportunities and the progress of current PR campaigns
• Maintain and update social media profiles and any web content; submit PR reports; create and edit organisational publications, such as internal newsletters or stockholders’ reports; address media and public queries; write and distribute press releases and client promotional material

Public Relations Officers usually work in offices. Nevertheless, they also spend their time outside by attending events and community activities. Offices are typically located in urban locations countrywide. As a Public Relations Officer, local travel is frequent during the workday to meet with clients or company representatives. If you work for multinational companies, you may need to travel to other areas or overseas.

Although junior Public Relations Officers can have slightly more hectic work schedules, mainly when working on PR campaigns with tight deadlines, professionals with more than three years of experience may expect a standard 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. schedule. However, senior Public Relations Officers spend more time socialising and networking with new and current customers, business associates, and industry professionals after regular office hours. There will be times when you work unsociable hours attending evening events or being on call on weekends to cope rapidly with specific issues such as a crisis. You may also choose to work part-time.

Public Relations Officers typically work for a public relations firm or for an organisation's in-house public relations or communications department. They may work in diverse fields and environments.

Public Relations Officers are generally employed by:

• Advertising & Marketing Agencies
• Charities
• Consultancies
• Commercial & Industrial Organisations
• Governmental Organisations
• Manufacturers
• Private Companies
• Public Affairs
• Not-for-Profit Organisations
• Charities
• Retailers

Professional associations and organisations are crucial for Public Relations Officers interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. For instance, the International Public Relations Association (IRPA) aims to advance communication and ethical practices in public relations. Membership in such professional bodies can add value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Stress arising from situations of crisis where Public Relations Officers are asked to find solutions promptly; dealing with tight schedules at competing deadlines
• Dealing with fake news to protect the company's reputation; motivating employees and coping with management expectations
• Using the given budget effectively
• Prioritising tasks when job responsibilities gradually increase
• Effectively developing and managing a strategy to respond to the competition; coping with losses

Your university's career services office may have information on available PR internships. Job placements and graduate training schemes are also available. Memberships in such schemes will allow you access to information about courses and training, such as the qualifications that contribute to receiving certified status and credentials. Since this is a competitive profession, pre-entry experience in PR, communications, marketing, and media is highly desirable. Since it is hard to find paid work, volunteering is a valuable way to gain experience. You may volunteer at a local charity, where you can learn event planning, public relations, and writing press releases. Employers value graduates with journalism experience, who have written for student publications and participated in student radio programs or university societies. Membership of professional bodies, often at a discounted rate for students, will give you access to information about potential training courses, certification requirements, company schemes, and placements. Social media marketing internships may also be your pathway into PR work.

A degree in any subject is appropriate for an aspiring Public Relations Officer, although you may also explore the route of school leavers entering the field. While marketing may usually rank high as a major at university, if you wish to work in PR, you may also choose English, management, business, communications, journalism or media studies, or the behavioural sciences. A degree in public relations is also possible at some institutions. Taking additional courses encompassing web design, videography, and photography can give you an advantage. While a master’s degree in public relations can increase your chances of landing a job, employers may value personal attributes and experience more. If you pursue a master’s program, you may choose to focus on a specific field, such as corporate and organisational communication, advertising, and social media with public engagement. Any of these specialisations will give you a greater understanding of the behavioural patterns of individuals, which you will find helpful when you work.

Certification in Public Relations demonstrates competence in a skill or set of skills, typically through work experience, training, the passage of an examination, or some combination of the three. Individual government agencies handle licensing. It usually necessitates passing an evaluation in addition to meeting the eligibility criteria. As a Public Relations Officer, certification is crucial as you need to stay relevant, resourceful, and motivated. Investigating members who violate the Code of Ethics protects public wellbeing and gains the community’s confidence and respect, two of the most important aspects of a professional's future.

Career progression is driven by performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications. Employees with consistently high levels of performance may be eligible for promotion every two to three years. As a recent graduate, you can expect to serve for one or two years as a PR assistant or junior account executive before being promoted to Public Relations Officer or account executive. Advancement to management-level positions, such as Senior Account Executive or Account Manager, would likely take another two to three years and is highly dependent on your aptitude, success, and motivation. To expand your expertise or transfer into a more specialised job, you can need to be willing to move between employers or geographical areas. After two to three years at this stage, you could be eligible for promotion to Account Director, where you will be in charge of higher-profile clients and all account team members. You could work your way up to PR Director and finally be invited to join a Board of Directors, or you could start your firm. If you have built up a strong network of contacts and want to work as a freelance consultant or start your firm later in your career, self-employment is a choice.

The job competition for Public Relations Officers is fierce due to more applicants than positions. Having experience and excellent interpersonal skills will increase job prospects.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is the holistic commitment of a Public Relations Officer towards enhancing personal skills and proficiency throughout their active careers through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning. There are many CPD courses, seminars, and workshops to help professionals in the field.

Depending on the organisation, you will receive training in diverse areas. Several larger companies offer graduate training programs that provide you with a standardised curriculum of job experience and skill development. However, you will receive most of your training on the job, working alongside more seasoned colleagues, with increasing levels of responsibility as your abilities progress and opportunities arise.

Employers also encourage their employees to go through a series of short courses available on a distance-learning and part-time basis. A professional PR certificate is targeted at graduates interested in pursuing a career in public relations or those who have worked in the industry for at least two years at a relatively junior level. In preparation for the diploma, it provides an understanding of PR theory and practice and the strategic roles and functions of the PR practitioner. Others can also obtain a PR diploma, which assists Public Relations Officers in becoming more successful and reliable professionals with the leadership capacity.

A PR Tool Kit

Among various other job skills and knowledge, Public Relations Officers would do well to become familiar with project management software and video/photo editing. They should expand their portfolio with the experience of handling press conferences, managing media relations (online, broadcast, and print), and researching, writing, and editing publications.

Other handy tools are knowledge of consumer marketing and the ability to tackle significant strategy plans as well as daily administrative tasks. It is crucial to build expertise to manage PR campaigns to meet quantifiable results while fulfilling project targets and company goals. Keep yourself aware of diverse media agendas and current affairs. At all times, staying oriented to deadlines, being curious, and practising follow-up and reporting skills will keep your PR tool kit well-equipped.

Survival Of The Fittest

The public relations sector appears to be undergoing a dramatic transformation. Although changes in the global market climate present new challenges and opportunities for most industries, the PR industry is particularly affected. PR, like most other aspects of marketing, is being forced to adapt to these changes.

It has become clear that the majority of public relations firms are developing strategies that incorporate critical trends. Specialising in a specific field as a means of competing in an increasingly hostile environment, internationalisation as a lever for growth, and an increase or enhancement in preparation, recruitment and assessment to boost the reputation and professionalism of the PR industry are among the primary strategies that have surfaced.

A Cinderella Industry

The practitioners tend to have a large say in the industry's current direction. If the PR industry's leaders can seize the new opportunities, PR will be able to transition from a tactical marketing tool to a strategic imperative for clients.

Public Relations Officers should continue to concentrate on tactics that can improve their business skills and overall image. Accomplishing these objectives will help the PR industry eventually gain the respect it deserves and capitalise on the underlying trends.

Working As A Freelancer

Since they do not have to pay for an office, company rates, employee wages, and all the other operating costs, a freelance Public Relations Officer would still have lower overheads than an agency. Most freelancers work from home, in a coffee shop, or a co-working room, using a laptop.

Freelance Public Relations Officers also have flexible contracts and can more easily negotiate with agencies. This flexibility allows you to meet diverse clients. You can tap into their network of contacts in marketing, web design, SEO, digital marketing, and graphic design to help you with your other project needs.

Though Public Relations Officers try to set reasonable “office hours,” if they must complete a task, even at 2 a.m., they hop online and do it. The media never sleeps, neither do PR professionals.

Even if an organisation is highly profitable, it will not have the desired impact if the public and customers are unaware of its brand, achievements, or contributions. A Public Relations Officer is crucial in developing a strategy that educates the public about the organisation's contributions, raises brand awareness, and makes it more visible in the public eye.

As a Public Relations Officer, you are likely to send hundreds of emails each week to journalists and other media partners. Do not be discouraged in the absence of an immediate response. Since emails often get lost in an overflowing inbox, it is essential to follow up on them a few days later - either with another email or a phone call. By reminding people and informing them about your email, you will have an immediate impact on them.