Skills Required for Public Relations Jobs
While the safety and well-being of workers is the priority of the companies in such times, a person working in a public relation job profile has to manage and prioritize other essentials as well like stakeholder communications and providing information about the steps the company is taking to mitigate the crisis.
Generally, this job is done by the PR department. PR is an integral part of any organization nowadays. From managing any crisis to building up the image of the company, it takes care of all promotion and communication-related tasks. Public relations (PR) experts plan and execute strategic campaigns for their companies’/clients’ public image. They work in liaison with corporate marketing, advertising, and human resources departments to execute specific communications and image-enhancement programs.
Also Check :- Courses to become a Public relations agent
This field has a lot of career growth for young people who possess certain qualities. Following are certain characteristics one should have to become a good Public Relations(PR) guy:
Ability to build relationships: A good PR professional should have the knack of building a relationship of trust with both internal as well as external stakeholders.
Communication Skills: He/She should be able to communicate well with people. She/he should be able to initiate conversations and hold everyone’s attention.
Personality: She/he should have a charming personality, dress well and is knowledgeable, then people would like talking to him and sharing information with him.
Networking Skills: He should be able to build a good network.
Knowledgeable: He/She should be a reservoir of knowledge and current trends. He/ She should be able to share a lot of interesting information about people and organizations. Such PR people are often sought after by journalists who need news on time. He/She should also be aware of the socio-economic-political environment around him so that he can pitch information in the right context.
Negotiator: A smart PR guy should be able to trade information for positive media for his own company, brand or client.
A PR person should be smart and intelligent. Sometimes, people may misunderstand him/her as a spin doctor or a manipulator but he/she needs to work calmly and patiently without deviating from his/her real objectives. He/She should also be an influencer; his/her word should be perceived with importance, both internally as well as externally. A good PR person is often an asset for the company. He/she is a friend, philosopher, guide and trainer for key internal stakeholders who speak only his voice, and are often trained by him.
To become a Public relations agent, one needs a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree in journalism, public relations, communications or a related field. Good entry-level jobs are available for PR specialists.
Written By:- Ms. Geetika Vashishata Assistant Professor Faculty of Media Studies and Humanities