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.
4. Get Immersed
Speaking of the media, another excellent idea to prepare for your new PR role is to immerse yourself in all public-facing mediums of communication. Understand the ins and outs of newspaper and magazine printing, as well as how online publications work and how best to share information on social media. If you know the media, you’ll know how to wrangle them.
5. Get Acquainted
Finally, but certainly not least important, is the need for future public relations hires to become acquainted with the types of companies they are likely to land positions in. Who needs PR employees like yourself, and why? How can you bring something new to the PR table for them? What does their existing PR strategy look like? Get to know a business intimately before stepping foot in their interview room.
We’ve given you tips on breaking into the public relations arena, and we’ve listed a qualification as the first thing prospective PR professionals should endeavour to secure. The PR field is taxing, and much is expected from public relations officers – especially when crisis communication is required.
Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing
Get the fundamental skills and knowledge required to succeed in a public relations career with our accredited Digital Public Relations course!