Public Relations Specialist Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a public relations specialist. Feel free to use our job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a public relations specialist.
Who is a Public Relations Specialist?
A public relations specialist is a professional who cultivates and maintains a favourable public image for an organization or Individual.
They interact with the public on behalf of a company, organization, person, politician, or government. In the same vein, public relations specialists work hard to ensure that their clients receive favourable coverage from journalists, bloggers, social media influencers, and other members of the media. In most cases, Public relations specialists are referred to as media specialists or communications specialists.
Public Relations Specialists help to articulate an organization’s viewpoint to its primary audience through press releases and interviews.
Public relations specialists have a bachelor’s degree in public relations, marketing, communications, or a related field. Although it is not always required, some public relations professionals choose to obtain accreditation in Public Relations (APR) by passing an exam. The best public relations professionals are detail-oriented, have strong interpersonal skills, and are good time managers.
Public Relations Specialist Job Description
Below are the public relations specialist job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a public relations specialist job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
A public relations specialist’s duties and responsibilities include the following:
- Publishing press releases and gathering data for the media.
- Determining the most effective way to reach key client groups and audiences through polls, surveys, and social media.
- Responding to information requests from the media or appointing a suitable spokesperson or information source.
- Organizing media appearances and interviews for executives at the company.
- Utilizing logos and signs to create and maintain organizations’ corporate image and identity.
- Preparing remarks and interview questions for the company’s top executives.
- Putting together advertising and marketing materials, such as flyers, billboards, and online ads.
- Monitoring, assessing, and disseminating the outcomes of public relations initiatives.
- Examining advertising and promotion initiatives to see if they align with the public relations strategy of the organization.
- Creating and implementing fundraising strategies for a business by locating and contacting potential donors and submitting grant applications.
- Establishing contacts with new media houses and maintaining contacts with current existing ones.
- Recommending practical conflict resolution strategies for internal and external conflicts.
- Analyzing market trends and conducting research to track competitor activity and identify new business opportunities.
- Collecting competitive data, staying current on advertising and marketing trends, and gaining additional background and up-to-date development knowledge through research and interviews
Qualifications
The qualifications of a public relations specialist include but are not limited to the following:
- A bachelor’s degree in journalism, public relations, or a related field.
- Demonstrable expertise in public relations or a related field.
- Experience with project management and carrying out public relations initiatives or campaigns.
- Editing and copywriting expertise.
- Proficient in the use of MS word Packages.
- Demonstrated time management and task prioritization abilities.
- Outstanding Communication and listening abilities.
- Aptitude for public speaking and presentation.
- A practical and creative mindset.
Essential Skills
Successful Public relations specialists possess the following skills:
- Brand Management:
Increasing the reputation of a company’s brand you work with is frequently the goal of public relations specialists. Your priority should be in your ability to capitalize on your brand’s advantages and showcase them in a manner that is appealing to the general public.
- Networking Techniques:
Public relations professionals frequently use networking techniques to forge connections with potential customers, colleagues, and other people who can advance their careers. In order to learn more about their clients and the industries they work in, they network with people from all walks of life.
- Ability to Write:
The majority of Public relations professionals include writing as one of their superpowers. People interested in this career path should be skilled in writing for social media, press releases, speeches, creative writing, etc.
- Expertise in social media:
Being active on social media is an important aspect of public relations. You must understand how your target audiences behave on social media, what influences their decisions, and what piques their interest. Furthermore, you should keep an eye on social media trends and use them to your client’s or business’s advantage.
- Teamwork:
Public relations specialists do not work alone. Most of the time, they are a part of a team that includes researchers, marketers, and other people in comparable positions. To execute the most successful campaign possible, you must be able to collaborate with others under pressure.
- Relationship Abilities:
The ability to get along with others is required for interactions with the general public and the media. You must be able to influence others and bargain. As a public relations specialist, you will also need to coordinate your actions with those of others, including your coworkers.
- Research Capability:
Much of your public relations work may rely heavily on research. In addition to learning everything you can about your clients, you must also master the art of captivating an audience. Furthermore, thorough research will allow you to select the best strategy for a given campaign and find information that may be useful to your client.
- Problem-solving skills:
Public relations specialists explain how a company or client is handling sensitive issues. As a result of this, those on this career path use good judgment in what they report and how they report it.
- Creativity:
A successful public relations campaign necessitates the ability to think creatively. Because each public relations situation is different, you should be able to use a variety of strategies and tactics to handle each one.
- Time management:
Time constraints are frequently imposed on public relations campaigns. Given the amount of work required to launch and maintain a campaign, excellent time management skills are essential. With effective time management, you can maintain the necessary level of work quality while remaining organized and achieving your goals..
- Marketing knowledge:
Marketing knowledge is another essential component of a public relations specialist’s skill set. This is because these professionals create strategies, and collateral materials, and manage budgets while developing and executing marketing campaigns. They also use marketing expertise to analyze campaign results and make necessary adjustments.
- In-depth knowledge of News:
Public relations professionals must stay up to date on news and trends. This provides them with the knowledge they need to match their public relations campaigns with issues important to their target markets. Public relations professionals can strategically craft their messaging by having a clear understanding of what will connect with the public and what will turn out bad.
- Strategic Thinking:
Public relations professionals work with clients to create a strategy that will help them achieve their goals. As a result, public relations professionals must consider how they can strategically use public relations to achieve their clients’ KPIs.
- Public speaking:
If you have good public speaking skills, you can effectively communicate with large groups of people. As a public relations specialist, you may be required to present to executive teams, clients, or the media. With the help of public speaking skills, you can boost your confidence when speaking in front of a group while also communicating your message clearly.
How to Become a Public Relations Specialist
A career in public relations is an excellent way to put your writing skills to use while also networking with people from various industries. To become a public relations specialist, take the following steps below:
- Complete a bachelor’s degree
Those in the Public relations specialist career path have a bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, English, journalism, or business. Those who want to specialize in politics or the government should consider majoring in political science and minoring in public relations. Students interested in working with offices should consider taking business administration, marketing, public speaking, and creative writing classes.
- Gain Public Relations Knowledge and Skills through Work Experience:
By gaining work experience, public relations professionals can put their classroom knowledge into practice. Many employers prefer candidates who can demonstrate expertise through a body of work.
After completing a degree program, public relations specialists can look for internships to help them build a portfolio of work to show potential employers. During an internship with a public relations firm, people may have the opportunity to write press releases, and media pitches, and provide speech assistance. To gain experience, public relations professionals may choose to work in entry-level positions in the industry to develop and hone the skills required to advance their careers.
- Choose an Area of Specialty:
The world of public relations is vast. Business, government, politics, education, and advertising are some of the areas of focus for those who choose this career path.
Advertising public relations professionals focus on ensuring that advertising campaigns are consistent with the company’s brand and meet the needs of the target market.
Public relations professionals in the educational sector may be in charge of raising funds for the construction of new facilities, the purchase of equipment, or the hiring of new teachers. Education public relations professionals also communicate with prospective students and highlight significant school events.
Those whose area of specialty is in the government are called press secretaries. They are government experts who handle communications such as informing the public about helpful government programs, writing news releases about how to complete new tax forms, and directing awareness campaigns about health and safety hotlines.
Politicians are responsible for upholding a politician’s reputation, responding to media inquiries about political decisions, and managing the public perception aspect of a political campaign.
Business public relations professionals also work to increase a brand’s credibility, maintain connections with potential clients, and create company news releases to publicize new products, CSR initiatives, or company events.
- Join a Professional Association:
Many public relations professionals join a professional organization, such as the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) or the International Association of Business Communicators, to improve their professional image (IABC). To determine which professional association will advance your career the most, it is useful to conduct research on your target sector.
There are many advantages to joining a professional organization for public relations experts. Members of these organizations can access training for career development, networking opportunities at conferences, professional credibility, job recommendations, awards, and recognition.
- Consider getting a Certification:
Certification can demonstrate your professional competence, expertise, and up-to-date skills, which can help you stand out from other applicants, even though it is typically optional for most public relations specialist jobs. Many professional public relations associations offer certifications that you can pursue whether or not you are a member. If you’re unsure which certificate to pursue, consider seeking advice on how to get started from a public relations organization that interests you.
- Compile a Portfolio:
Many employers prefer that public relations specialist applicants submit a portfolio with their applications. Your portfolio as a public relations expert should include outstanding work completed during your bachelor’s degree program, projects completed during your internship, entry-level position, projects completed as part of any certification courses you’ve taken, training projects you may have completed through your professional organization, samples of your abilities relevant to the position you’re applying for.
Making a few high-quality pieces that highlight specific skills will allow you to include samples relevant to the industry you’re applying to in your portfolio, making it stand out.
- Advance in the Public Relations Specialist Field
Public relations professionals who want to increase their earning potential and develop more expertise in the field frequently pursue a graduate degree. A master’s degree in business administration allows public relations professionals to hone their leadership skills. It also helps them better understand consumer behaviour and marketing management.
Where to Work as a Public Relations Specialist
Public relations specialists can work in a variety of fields, including education, advertising, politics, and government.
Corporate public relations specialists help their employers develop effective marketing strategies and relationships with customers and the general public.
People who work for agencies or public relations firms are experts at assisting businesses, individuals, and organizations in expanding their audiences and managing their public image.
Public relations specialists in government agencies keep the public informed about government initiatives and respond to press releases and other inquiries.
Furthermore, nonprofit organizations may require the assistance of public relations professionals in order to spread the word about their impact and raise funds.
Public Relations Specialist Salary Scale
Education, work experience, and the location of the job all affect a public relations specialist’s pay.
A public relations specialist’s pay in the US is reported to range between $51,140 and $92,029 on various salary aggregation websites, including PayScale, ZipRecruiter, and indeed, with an average pay of $64,203.