The competition for public relations positions, both in-house and in consultancies, is becoming ever fiercer. More and more young people are enrolling in public relations and communications courses; no doubt attracted by the prospect of what they think will be an exciting and high profile career. In fact, according to the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the UK, PR is constantly voted into the top three career choices for graduates.
So...What Is Public Relations?
Public relations is all to do with effective communications. This may involve educating the public on the benefits of using a particular product, uniting a company through internal communications or smoothing over the effects of a crisis.
The Institute of Public Relations (IPR) defines PR as:
'The discipline which looks after reputation - with the aim of earning understanding and support, and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned, sustained effort to establish and maintain good will and mututal understanding between an organisation and its publics.'
Although public relations is often perceived as glamorous, it can be a lot of hard work. You will also have to be prepared to step back and let your client take the credit for your efforts. You will spend a lot of time ghost-writing articles and organising events that will be attributed to your client. This can prove quite a blow to some people's egos!
What and Where Should You Study?
There is no set-in-stone rule dictating how you should enter public relations. Many people have crossed over from other industries, including journalism and advertising, and have used their experience in those areas to bring a new and relevant perspective to the PR arena.
Increasing numbers of colleges, schools and universities are now offering courses in public relations and communications. If you are already employed but want to switch careers then there are a number of night courses or part-time options available.
Attending Toastmasters meetings, an international non-profit organisation which helps its members develop public speaking and leadership skills, can also help you develop the communication skills that are so vital in PR.
It’s all about the Experience!
The one thing that every public relations employer is looking for is practical work experience. A CV with good, relevant work experience and references on it will serve you well when it comes to looking for a job. Many of the larger PR consultancies, such as Porter Novelli and Fleishman-Hillard, offer internships but it is also worth contacting some of the smaller, more boutique PR agencies.
Another way of gaining much needed experience is by volunteering to help a not for profit organisation with their PR. Some of these organisations will advertise for PR volunteers on their websites and on volunteer sites and are always grateful for any support.
How to Find a Job
There are many different tools you can use to track down that perfect PR job. There are plenty of online search engines out there, including some that are specific to public relations. Popular sites include the PR Week job page in America and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations job page in the UK (www.ciprjobs.co.uk). Public Relations jobs can also be found in newspapers such as the Guardian in the UK.
However, before you get overexcited and start contacting every company advertising for a junior account executive, review your CV and covering letter! Make sure that your CV is clear, well laid out, and includes all the information that an employer would want to know. Don’t forget to list your qualifications, your experience and what you feel you can bring to the company. Do not blabber on about how your hobbies include knitting hats and going out partying - the employer will only want to know how your experience and interests are relevant to the role you are applying for. For example, writing ‘My love for going out partying has honed my ability to communicate effectively with lots of different audiences as well as improving my networking skills’, may attract a bit more positive attention from anyone considering your CV!
Whatever area of PR that you decide to focus on, be it government relations, consumer relations, IT public relations or healthcare PR, you will find a career that is exciting and ever changing. No wonder more and more people are deciding that it is the job for them.
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