Careers in Public Relations

Images matters, they say. How people see you and what opinion they form about you makes or mars your prospects in life. But how many of us are capable of projecting exactly that kind of self which we would like others to appreciate? No this is an art which is mastered by a talented few who simply know the nitty gritty of taking care of these small nuances that determine our correct image in the minds of the multitudes.

This art or rather a full fledged emerging profession of image management and appropriately putting one’s point of view across a large audience is what called the public relations.

Public relation is one of the fastest growing field with plenty of promotion opportunities, decent salary, lots of intellectual stimulation and a wide variety of work assignment. Public relation has evolved into an important business field that helps organizations to communicate and build relationships with their public and with those who influence that public. Among the key publics are employees, investors, customers and business partners. Influencers are the media, stock analysts govt. regulators and other third parties that affect the way those public perceive companies.

If a person is smart and outgoing, enjoys meeting people and has a flair for media relation, then public relations is the right career choice for him.

But is there any downside? It is hard work, often under deadline pressures, and few people understand or appreciate the value of public relations. Many think it means planning glitzy parties or spinning the media. Nothing could be further form the truth.

Public Relations and Advertising:

PR is often confused with advertising. But advertising and public relations are distinct from each other. Advertising is that part of communication process which creates desire in the minds of the consumer to purchase the company’s products and generally enhance the sales and thus the profits of the company or an organization. On the other hand, public relation involving informing and educating the public about the activities or philosophy of an organization. Some companies have their own PR department, while other appoints consultants or agencies specializing the job. The keyword is communicating the company’s point of view to various target groups in an effective manner so that a favorable impression is formed. PR is thus, a powerful management function and a serious business activity.

What Does A Public Relation Executive Do?

For image enhancement and maintaining effective relations with the public, a public relation executive has to perform a number of tasks, the prominent among them are:-

Drafting Press Relations:

One objective of the PR manager is to ensure that the company gets written about favorably in the press. For this, relations with media correspondents have to be maintained. They have to be provided with information and handouts.

Maintaining Channels of Communication:

Customers, suppliers, employees, dealers and other in contact with the company must know that it is doing or plans to do in the future. Misunderstandings may otherwise arise which may affect the business in the long run.

Effective Lobbying:

Effective PR can influence public policy. An important function of the PR professional will be to maintain close relation and convince influential people in various walks of life.

Arranging counseling sessions, Events and Press meets:

Doubts have to be removed from the minds of people though meetings and counseling, which will help keep a direct contact and not let doubts remain which may have an adverse impact on the company.

How to start career in Public Relations:

These are several options available for youngsters to start a career in Public relation. The first is to join companies or organization in there PR departments and hope to rise to the level of Public Relation Officer (PRO) after one has gained experience. The second option would be to join professional PR firms who work as PRO’s for their client company’s. Such companies work on contractual hours.

It can also be a position either in company or non profit organization or in public relation firm. Increasingly a professional finds themselves moving back and forth between the two during their careers. The main difference in whether you have a single client-your own company or work with several clients at an agency.

Working in a company you will get a strong, first hand knowledge in business and organizational dynamics.  To get the maximum exposure to many industries and fields of public relation, there is an advantage to start out in a firm.

You’ll be doing the same kinds of projects where ever you start you’ll be taking inquiries fro reporters and other public and then researching and providing response. You’ll be drafting press release and articles for internal publication. Often you’ll be involved in creative session to develop strategies for a story that needs to be covered or to decide which reporters, activities or governmental officials need to be informed about an upcoming event.

What does it require to be in the profession?

As mentioned earlier, to enter a public relation profession one need to be outgoing, smart, media savvy and interested in meeting different kinds of public. Public relation demands the creativity of advertising and the business savvy of management consulting. While there are college majors offered in public relations, a good liberal arts or business education is also excellent preparations for the filed.

Excellent writing skills, and an ability to use the entire research tool available in today’s information rich, Internet driven world are pre-requisites.

It is not necessary to have formal qualification in PR to get a job in this area, provided once has the contacts in the press. For others, a degree will help at the entry stage. People who have diploma in advertising or journalism can get PR jobs, but some institutes offer diplomas in PR as well. In today’s competitive environment, it is advisable to have a degree or a diploma in one’s repertoire to enhance one’s career prospects.

How much does it pay?

PR is one field where a person raises the ladder of success by his sheer talent and hard work. As it is in any other profession, the salary is not limited for any one who is worthy of good pay packet. One can start with the salary of approximately Rs. 6000 a month, depending upon the kind of organization. A senior PR professional may get Rs. 10000 to Rs. 25000. If one is effective and delivers results, the sky would be the limit. There is also an option of free-lancing in the field as one can work on individual projects if one has to build enough contacts in the field.

Where to study for Public Relations

There are several universities and private institutes that are offering mass communication post graduation degrees and one discipline as a public relations and a large number of private institutes are also offering separate PR diplomas:

The following are some institutes fro obtaining a formal PR degree:

• Indian Institute of Mass Communication, JawaharlalNehruUniversity (JNU), New Delhi.
• MassCommunicationResearchCenter, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.
• Narsee Monjee Institute of Management, Mumbai.
• Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan in various cities.
• Punjab University Mass Communications Department Chandigarh.
• AnnamalaiUniversity, Annamalainagar (correspondence)
• Mudra Institute of Communication and Advertising (MICA) Ahmedabad.

So if you have the right attitude and will power and drive to do exceptionally well in this field then success can never elude you and soon you will be yourself on the top.