Career Possibilities with Public Relations

*this is a guest post

Have you ever wanted to break into the exciting world of public relations? Employees in the public relations field can work for private companies, nonprofits, government agencies, or for public relations companies with multiple clients. Most entry-level positions require a bachelor’s degree in public relations, marketing, or communications. Since the PR field is very competitive, going on to earn a master’s in public relations can give you an edge over the competition, especially if you are applying for a more advanced position.

Account Executive

Image via Flickr by reynermedia

An account executive manages the daily PR operations of his or her clients and assists with events and campaigns. During project downtime, the account executive researches potential media contacts, bloggers, and social media influencers that could be useful to reach out to for future campaigns. Account executives also develop new business by responding to RFPs, attending networking events and industry conferences, and reaching out to potential clients.

Public Relations Specialist

Public relations specialists plan and strategize PR and marketing programs for their clients or their company. They manage PR campaigns and track the results to see how effective the campaign was. Many public relations specialists also collaborate with other members of the marketing team to ensure their strategic vision is delivered throughout the organization. They also must communicate with employees, customers, and the media through social media, writing, and speaking.

Event Coordinator

As an event coordinator, you’ll plan and execute events for your clients in order to bring them publicity. Event coordinators book venues, hire vendors, maintain budgets, and make sure everything is done on time. Event coordinators sometimes work evenings and weekends, depending on the event, but have a more flexible schedule than other office jobs. They also get to spend a lot of time away from their desks actively managing and planning events.

Director of Internal Communications

Unlike many other positions in public relations, a director of internal communications deals primarily with people within his or her organization. These directors deliver the overall public relations and marketing strategy to internal employees so that the organization as a whole communicates the same message that they advertise to customers and the media. The director of internal communications plays a very important role within very large companies with thousands of people where it is difficult to reach every single employee.

Media Relations Coordinator

Media relations coordinators are the first point of contact in an organization for reporters and other members of the press. They also write press releases and contact the media themselves to try to get them to cover news about their company. Media relations coordinators actively scan the news looking for any mention of their company or their competitors so that they can stay one step ahead of the press.

Unlike many office jobs, public relations employees are rarely chained to a desk all day. PR offers a flexible, sometimes unpredictable schedule, and has a good balance of creativity and organization. It also requires an outgoing personality and excellent writing skills. If you want a career that is exciting and fast paced, look into a position in the public relations field.

*thank you for this guest post!