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Public Relations: The Non-Traditional Career Choice by Melinda Feliciano
Thinking about making a career change? The public relations industry is one of the fastest growing marketing communications areas and your skills may fit today’s PR agency needs.
The emerging marketing discipline
Public relations firms help organizations build and promote their products and services by seeking the endorsement and support of third parties such as the media, social networking communities and other online influencers. Successful public relations campaigns garner more credibility than other marketing vehicles through the delivery of “earned” media versus purchased media. By helping to establish credibility, public relations plays a valuable strategic role in today’s businesses and other organizations. Positioned at the intersection of corporate issues and marketing, public relations offers you an intellectually stimulating career and challenging profession
Why chose a career in public relations?
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, jobs in public relations are “expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through 2014, spurred by intense domestic and global competition in products and services offered to consumers.” In its annual Communications Industry Forecast, equity firm Veronis Suhler Stevenson (VSS) cited public relations as one of the fastest-growing (media) segments in the U.S. VSS reported that public relations’ annual compound growth rate from 2006 through 2011 will be 10.3%.
Public relations firms are an essential part of the decision-making process that drives marketing programs and activities for companies. And the reality is more professionals are needed to fulfill a growing demand for PR expertise. In a recent survey conducted by the Council of Public Relations Firms, 80 percent of participating firms are hiring. Further, 30 percent of firms anticipate most of their growth for 2008 in the consumer marketing area.
This growth represents a great opportunity for those with marketing skills and experience to satisfy the need for talent within the public relations industry. You can bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to public relations, something the industry embraces. You will have the opportunity to be creative and versatile, by using your expertise that can help develop robust programs to increase consumer awareness.
In an August 2007 article in Advertising Age, Jeffrey Davidoff, the vice president of brand marketing and communication at Whirlpool Corp, explained the important role public relations plays: “When [CMOs] look at all of the marketing tools and communications options we have, we rely more heavily on public relations, websites and online media. These areas help us better reach key influencers and thought leaders who, in turn, are more likely than traditional advertising to sway a consumer to make a purchase.”
The Makings of a Successful Public Relations Executive
Identifying your transferable skill set will help a recruiter translate your experience as a top performer in your current job into a rewarding public relations position.
Aside from good communication skills, the traits that distinguish public relations practitioners are a sense of urgency, analytical problem solving, and flexibility. Proficiency and mastery in competencies such as managing people and driving results are a must as you move into more senior roles within a public relations firm.
As marketing campaigns rely more and more on digital media, social media and the digital space is a growth area for many public relations firms. Marrying marketing skills with creative “new media” solutions can put you at the center of the vibrant and booming field of public relations.
If you want to learn more about the public relations industry and working at a public relations firm, go to click here.
To search for public relations career opportunities, go to careercenter.prfirms.org.
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Events
Finding the Right Balance: Optimizing Social Media Efforts in Highly Regulated Industries
September 16, 2010
High Point Series - Understanding the Finances of Your Business
September 28, 2010
2010 Critical Issues Forum - Staring Down the Future: Learning to Thrive in an Integrated World
October 27, 2010
Recent News 
Council of Public Relations Firms and Howard University Host Career Fair for Ethnically Diverse Students
March 26, 2010
The Keys to Rebuilding Trust Explored at 2009 Critical Issues Forum
October 30, 2009
Council of Public Relations Firms Announces 2010 Board of Directors
October 29, 2009
What you should know about Public Relations firms
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