Public relations managers and specialists essential career information:
- 2012 median pay: $54,170
- 2012, number of jobs: 201,280
- Employment growth forecast, 2010-2020: 21 percent
- Entry-level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
Public relations managers and specialists; what they do:
Public relations specialists and public relations managers have a huge weight on their shoulders – the weight of their employer’s public face and reputation. Public relations specialists and public relations managers are expected to regularly interact and communicate with the public, maintaining a favorable image for their employer.
The community interactions of public relations specialists and public relations managers include writing media releases, contacting specific media outlets to publish the releases, planning and directing public relations programs, raising funds for their organizations, and sometimes providing or arranging interviews. Raising funds for an organization may include contacting potential donors and applying for grants.
Public relations specialists and public relations managers not only maintain a positive image of their employer, but they help design, develop, and implement a specific corporate image, identity, and brand through events, logos, signs, and other advertisements. In order to best develop a brand and identity for a company, the public relations specialists and public relations managers must first identify main client groups and audiences, researching them in order to cater to their preferences.
A public relations manager career includes closely observing public trends and interests and finding ways to connect those trends to their employer in order to keep the employer relevant and in a favorable light with the public. A public relations manager career sometimes includes working with top executives in drafting speeches, arranging interviews, and writing company newsletters.
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Public relations managers and public relations specialists job titles:
- Communication Specialist
- Media Specialist
- Press Secretaries
- Public Relations Specialist
- Public Information Officer
- Corporate Communications Specialist
- Public Relations Coordinator
- Communications Director
Public Relations Managers and Specialists Education, Certification and License Requirements
A public relations manager career or public relations specialist career begins with a earning a Bachelor of Public Relations, Journalism, Communications, English, or Business. Some employers specify a preference for candidates with a Master of Public Relations or Master of Journalism degree.
Public relations manager and specialist programs cover subjects such as:
- Advertising
- Business administration
- Public affairs
- Public speaking
- Political science
- Creative writing
- Technical writing
Public relations specialists usually receive on-the-job training, which may last from one month to one year. People initiating a public relations career typically begin with simple tasks and gradually, with experience, write news releases, speeches and carry out public relations programs.
Public relations managers may earn a professional certification, called the Accredited Business Communicator credential, through the Public Relations Society of America or through the International Association of Business Communicators.
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Public Relations Managers and Specialists Job Outlook
Forecast: 16 percent employment growth from 2010 to 2020 for public relations managers, on par with the average for all occupations. The BLS forecasts a 23 percent employment growth over the same time period for public relations specialists, also higher than average for all occupations.
Companies focusing more on improving their reputation and visibility through additional community outreach and customer relations activities may increase the demand for more public relations specialists and public relations managers.
The advent and extreme popularity of social media networks allows news – and rumors – to spread exponentially; public relations specialists quell rumors and keep companies’ reputations as clean as possible with the public.
Public Relations Managers and Specialists Salary
- 2012 median annual wage: $54,170
- 2012, workers at the 75th percentile annual wage: $74,110
- 2012, workers at the 25% percentile annual wage: $40,080
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Major Employers
- Religious, grant making, civic, professional, and similar organizations
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
- State, local, and private educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Government agencies
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