Alternate Title(s) | Public Relations Specialist |
Minimum Education Requirements | Bachelor's degree |
Salary | See Bureau of Labor Statistics for more information |
Job Skills | - Interpersonal skills. Public relations specialists deal with the public and the media regularly; therefore, they must be open and friendly to maintain a favorable image for their organization. - Organizational skills. Public relations specialists are often in charge of managing several events at the same time, requiring superior organizational skills. - Problem-solving skills. Public relations specialists sometimes must explain how a company or client is handling sensitive issues. They must use good judgment in what they report and how they report it. - Speaking skills. Public relations specialists regularly speak on behalf of their organization. When doing so, they must be able to clearly explain the organization’s position. - Writing skills. Public relations specialists must be able to write well-organized and clear press releases and speeches. They must be able to grasp the key messages they want to get across and write them in a short, succinct way to get the attention of busy readers or listeners. |
Job Duties | Public relations specialists typically do the following: - Write press releases and prepare information for the media - Respond to information requests from the media - Help clients communicate effectively with the public - Help maintain their organization's corporate image and identity - Draft speeches and arrange interviews for an organization’s top executives - Evaluate advertising and promotion programs to determine whether they are compatible with their organization’s public relations efforts - Evaluate public opinion of clients through social media |
Job Profile | Public relations specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent. They design media releases to shape public perception of their organization and to increase awareness of its work and goals. Public relations specialists, also called communications specialists and media specialists, handle an organization’s communication with the public, including consumers, investors, reporters, and other media specialists. In government, public relations specialists may be called press secretaries. In this setting, workers keep the public informed about the activities of government officials and agencies. |
The information presented within this occupational profile was synthesized from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Handbook of Occupational Groups & Families.