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What Are the Different Types of Public Relations Career Opportunities?
There are a wide range of public relations career opportunities, including representatives, spokespeople, account managers, and press secretaries. Each of these positions carries a similar role within an organization, and different names may be given in different types of businesses. In larger public relations firms there may be even more positions. Owners, directors, and accountants all may work in a public relations firm to keep the business running smoothly, although these positions are not as closely related to actual public relations work.
Many public relations career opportunities involve working directly with clients and planning their media campaigns. Duties may include writing press releases, coordinating press meetings, and other activities used to publicize a person or company. Some jobs also involve public image consulting. This means that a professional would direct and advise someone on how to act, speak, or dress during media interviews and similar functions so that he or she gives the right impression.
Other public relations career opportunities include that of spokesperson or press secretary. Press secretaries are most common in government sectors, and they typically arrange media events and press conferences for officials. A spokesperson is someone who works directly for a business, or sometimes as an independent contractor, to speak on behalf of the organization. They may give speeches, hold conferences with the media to make announcements or answer questions, or they even may give endorsements for a particular product or service in advertising campaigns.
Some may take advantage of public relations career opportunities that are indirectly related to the field. Those working firms dedicated to public relations tasks as accountants, secretaries, and planners are examples. There are also professionals who are responsible for acquiring new clients for the firms and making presentations on how the company could help these clients' public images and reputations. Another career opportunity is that of the independent professional who handles all of these tasks themselves to serve private clients.
In order to take advantage of public relations career opportunities it is usually necessary to obtain a four year college degree. Majors should usually be in communications, advertising, public relations, or journalism. Those who do not have a degree in one of these majors may still do public relations work if they have a proven ability to perform related tasks, or if they will be working as a self employed individual. Each company may have its own requirements for those looking for employment opportunities.
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![Some public relations jobs entail acting as an organization's spokesperson.]()
By: picsfiveSome public relations jobs entail acting as an organization's spokesperson. -
![Some public relations experts travel and give seminars to professionals.]()
By: Dmitry Goygel-SokolSome public relations experts travel and give seminars to professionals. -
![A public relations director is responsible for directing a team working on public relations for a client.]()
By: Tissiana KelleyA public relations director is responsible for directing a team working on public relations for a client. -
![Public relations professionals may speak to groups of investors on behalf of a company.]()
By: Africa StudioPublic relations professionals may speak to groups of investors on behalf of a company.
Discussion Comments
On area of public relations that sounds like fun is the public image consultant. This could be one area where a person could own their own small firm or freelance.
Helping people prepare to meet the public and present themselves well could require the image consultant to have many skill areas. The person may need assistant with speaking and annunciation. They may need help with their clothing and other personal grooming. The consultant may help with their body language and facial expressions and how to convey certain emotions.
I would think that this occupation would bring a lot of job satisfaction.
Being a press secretary to a politician brings a lot of responsibility to the job. You would have to know a lot about current affairs, and be very posed and well groomed to represent a high profile government official.
I imagine it takes a lot of time to get groomed to take on one of those jobs. You would need to be able to write well and do research. And you would have to be a good planner, able to pay attention to details. And think of all the exciting people you would meet.!
@strawCake - Freelancing is a great option to have in any job, I think.
I think a public relations person would have to be extremely good with people. First of all, you have to get people and companies to hire you. Second of all, you have to be able to interact with the public if you're going to be a spokesperson or something like that. Even if you're just going to be advising someone, I would think you would need to be very polished and good with people to be able to direct other people on how they should act!
I think the coolest thing about this job is that you could go into business for yourself. It seems like a public relations professional could easily work for another firm for a few years to get experience and then open their own firm.
It also sounds like there are a lot of different public relations career opportunities, which is kind of neat. Just in case you get bored working in one capacity, you could always switch over to another type of public relations work.
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