Steps
to a Job in Public Relations
If you've
always been fascinated with the 'real story' behind
how corporations, government agencies, institutions
and media inform and persuade the public, a career
in public relations can put you behind the scenes,
making the decisions that influence the masses. This
exciting, high-paying job lets you use your creativity
and communication skills on a variety of interesting
and important projects.
Public relations consultants
focus on building relationships with all the 'publics'
of an organization. They are effective communicators
who are adept at problem solving, able to see multiple
points-of-view, and are calm even in the most hectic
situations.
A career in public
relations can be glamorous, as you often work with
interesting and influential people such as celebrities
or politicians. As an added benefit, according to
the Council of Public Relations Firms freelance public
relations can earn up to $85,000 or more per year.
Finally, there is a huge sense of personal satisfaction
in planning a public relations project, implementing
that plan, and seeing the results.
If you think you have
what it takes to influence, inform and persuade, follow
these ten steps based on the fabjob.com How to
Become a Public Relations Consultant to a rewarding
career in this new and dynamic field.
1. Learn about
the job: One of the reasons this career
is so interesting is that it includes many different
activities and roles under the umbrella term "public
relations," including publicity, promotion, advertising,
lobbying, fund-raising, and media relations. Many
PR consultants specialize in one of these areas, so
use the Internet and other resources to explore these
areas of expertise to find out where your strengths
and interests lie.
2. Develop your
skills: Most PR consultants have a broad
range of knowledge and skills, many of which can be
self-taught. Writing is the most basic function of
a public relations professional — you need to be clear
and persuasive in your written communication. Desirable
employees are computer-savvy, polished individuals
who are comfortable speaking with groups of two or
200. You also will want to demonstrate that you are
empathetic, appreciate diversity and work well under
stress.
3. Education and
alternatives: A college degree is highly
desirable in the field of public relations. A degree
in public relations, journalism, marketing and communications
is especially attractive to employers. Even if you
have a degree in an entirely different area, volunteering
for PR projects or taking a few weekend or night courses
will give you a competitive edge. Without a college
degree, some individuals have become successful by
opening their own agencies or freelancing.
4. Get some experience:
Experience, a good mentor, and lots of practice can
turn a highly motivated individual into an effective
consultant. The best plan of attack is to start building
your experience base while you're still in school,
and get an internship before or shortly after graduation.
Volunteering to do public relations for civic groups
or the like also offers valuable experience. You may
want to try your hand at freelance writing, or see
if your current employer has any PR projects you can
take on. If you can swing it, working with trained
pubic relations professionals is a great way to learn
and make contacts in the industry.
5. Your portfolio:
In addition to a cover letter, resume, and references,
you will need to have a portfolio available for review.
It will include your published press releases, articles
you have written, communication plans you developed,
brochures you designed, information about special
events you coordinated, and any awards you have received
for your work. A nice looking multi-ring binder should
keep all these contained for employers to glance through.
6. Job hunting:
Your potential employers include corporations, non-profits,
government, education, and PR agencies. You should
check newspaper classifieds, trade publications, and
online job boards, and attend job fairs and trade
shows. You can even "cold call" potential employers
— send a cover letter and resume, then follow up with
a phone call in a few days to set up a meeting.
7. Ace the interview:
You'll want to dress in business attire for this one,
and prepare yourself by researching the company thoroughly.
Try to come across as self-confident and focus on
how your skills meet their needs. Use the research
you've done to ask intelligent, timely questions about
the company. Really showcase your social know-how
by following up with a letter thanking the interviewers
for their time, and reminding them that you are eager
to start.
8. Launching your
own agency: When you have the skills and
experience to meet clients' needs fully, self-employment
is a logical next step. Develop a business plan to
help you plan and execute the start-up, including
consideration of financial and legal matters, market
research, and the impression you want to convey to
your clients. There are many print and online resources
that contain invaluable advice on these and other
topics for would-be entrepreneurs.
9. Finding clients:
You'll want to start by identifying who in your
area uses public relations consultants, and why. Look
at corporations, non-profit groups, the public sector,
trade associations, politics, and even individuals
who are in the public eye. Networking remains the
best way to meet and retain clients for your business
— have plenty of business cards available and be prepared
to briefly but accurately describe what you do.
10. Self-promotion:
You will also need to actively promote yourself
in order to keep your business inundated with new
clients. A media kit containing a personalized cover
letter, biography, samples of your work and references
is an effective promotional tool that can be sent
out to prospective clients. By publishing articles,
putting up a personal web page, and taking on speaking
engagements, you will further establish yourself as
the public relations consultant people choose when
they want the job done right.
FabJob.com publishes
e-books that can help you break into a "fab" job.
Visit www.fabjob.com
for information.
