Do you enjoy solving problems creatively? Are you a casual observer of public affairs and current trends? Do you like the sound of working in media production? If the answer to all of this is yes, then you might want to consider public relations as a future career.

What is public relations?

Public relations (PR) is all about maintaining and improving the reputation of your client, be it a person, company, or brand. PR officers ensure that the best image of your employer is communicated to the public, and they do so by producing their own media, connecting with external media outlets, and shaping public opinion. Key here is to maintain good relationships with key stakeholders, such as your consumers, investors, and the media, and to generate favorable feedback from audiences in a more subtle, strategic, and organic way (different to advertising!). It certainly is a career that can be highly competitive, yet gratifying too. 

Here’s an example. Back in 2003, beauty company Dove was looking at a way to boost their declining sales. After conducting global research, they found that only 2% of women at the time felt that they were beautiful. Seeing this, Dove launched their ‘Real Beauty’ campaign in 2004, which aimed to showcase ‘real’ women and their real bodies in their advertisements, with no models, no editing, no airbrushing. The campaign was a wild success, launching Dove from a typical beauty company into a company that empowers women, and almost 20 years later, Dove is still continuing on this route and launching subsequent campaigns with the same core message of female empowerment.  ‘Real Beauty’ is often regarded as one of the most successful PR campaigns of all time; through this campaign, not only did their reputations and image get a lift, but their sales did as well!

Now is the prospect of being a public relations officer interesting to you? Read on to find out how you can get the role!

How do I become a public relations officer?

To become a public relations officer, you would usually come from degrees such as public relations, media and communications, and marketing.

However, individuals with unrelated university degrees can absolutely become public relations officers as well, be it through apprenticeships, applying directly to the company, or through professionally-run specialist courses.

What skills do I need to work in this position?

Coming into the industry, you will need to have knowledge of the working language (being able to read, write, and speak), and of media production and communication.

Essential skills that you will need are attention to detail, creativity and innovativeness, persistence and determination, ability to work under pressure, verbal and written communication skills, teamworking skills, problem-solving and strategic-thinking skills, technological and computer skills, as well as an awareness of current trends and affairs.

What are the key responsibilities?

As a public relations officer, you will be planning PR strategies and campaigns based on research. You will have to pay attention to what the public and the media are saying about your client or employer. You will have to design and create media content, such as press releases, speeches, leaflets/ brochures, social media posts, and promotional videos. You will have to arrange and attend photoshoots, press launches, news conferences, and open days. It will be important for you to build strong relationships with your team, clients, and of course, the media.

What will the job look like?

A public relations officer can work in an in-house department, or in a PR agency, across a variety of industries and settings, from consumer, financial, local governments, non-profit organizations, etc. They typically work 38 – 40 hours a week, and they have a starting salary of £18,000 per year. This amount can increase to about £50,000 as you advance in the field.

Want to learn more?

Here are some useful links to get you started!

-       https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/public-relations-officer

-       https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/public-relations-officer

-       https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/public-relations-pr.asp

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