The public relations profession is more than sending out the odd press release and building good relationships with the media. Public relations officers are tasked with optimising ALL communication between the company and the public. This can involve anything from assessing the way a logo makes customers feel, through to handling crisis communication when everything goes wrong and damage control is required. But you already know what PR is, don’t you? You’re just here to find out how best to go about landing a job in this field, and we’ve got five pointers to assist you with just that:
1. Get Qualified
The first step to landing that professional public relations role you’ve always dreamt of is to study the industry. Nothing says “I know what I’m doing in PR” quite like a public relations qualification. It shows employers that you have the fundamental proficiencies required to be an effective public relations officer and that you understand how public relations supports a company’s overarching goals.
2. Get Writing
Public relations is all about communication, and PR professionals who can’t communicate effectively won’t be professionals for very long. Many public relations activities include the written word, like press releases. If you have strong written communication skills, and you know your way around Microsoft Word, you’ve already got one foot in the door.
3. Get Noticed
Are you a social butterfly? If not, you might want to brush up on how to rub shoulders effectively. An excellent public relations employee comes to a job with an established network of industry acquaintances. Long before you start applying for roles in PR, build up a network of contacts in as many industries as possible – especially in traditional and digital media.
