Be the face of a company, be a Public Relation
Manager
Each
organization follows a PR culture that is different from that
of another. In some organizations, PR professionals do not
have a specific portfolio while in others you will find PR
professionals specializing in investor relations, public affairs, corporate communication, media relations, internal communication, marketing communication
or customer relations.
The job titles in this field are not standardized. Besides very
few of the titles used relate entirely to public relations, although
most indicate having something to do with PR.
Titles such as executive, officer, manager
and director/head are commonly used to indicate levels of responsibility
and seniority.
But these designations do not specify the area of speciality
of the professional, since such terms varies from one organisation
to another.
PR
job profiles is according to the sectors; one must determine
if one has experience relevant to the particular company,
e.g. engineering, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, motor
industry,
property, consumer, financial services, legal, etc. Each
provides a different set of PR challenges and that is the
reason they
expect relevant experience in the field. Broadly speaking,
a press officer or a media relation executive position would
expect
previous experience within the relevant sector.
The job profile will depend on the level and nature of the job,
but it most probably might include media liaisons, event management,
print production, feature writing, issues and crisis management,
and brand and corporate reputation management.
Certain
PR jobs require specialist skills such as parliamentary lobbying,
investor relations, internal communications and for which relevant
experience and training are essential. You cannot expect someone
whose previous tenure involved liaising with only media persons
to be ready for a position which involves meeting and interacting
with high-profile bureaucrats and politicians.
Even
for entry level and junior positions, PR demands a high level
of communication skills as well as some exposure if not
hands-on experience. Strings of work experience, whether
formal or not would indicate if the candidate is familiar with
working environment.
Career
prospects in PR can be said to be ‘sky is the limit’ for
the ambitious. The corporate ladder is more easily accessible
and as easily ascended by someone who knows how to influence
people with his/her communication skills. Salaries would
vary depending on the type and size of the organization, location,
level of responsibility and the degree of experience and
the
area of specialisation. Salaries compare well with salaries
in industries like advertising and marketing, which are known
to
pay very well. |
