Public relations is a big umbrella term, since it covers so many things! You could be creating media for a brand, speaking for an important figure, or writing for an organization, and you would not be wrong calling it public relations. If you are interested in writing, being creative, and/or getting your face out there, public relations is a field you should look at!
Jobs in public relations, or PR as will be said throughout the article, involve you being the spokesperson for an organization or person in a way. Sometimes, you’re directly speaking for a person or organization, like Press Secretary for the White House, and at other times, you could be the voice of the SunnyD Twitter account, hoping this attempt at humor will be even funnier than your last try.
There are several career paths in PR, such as administration (press secretary), marketing (marketing coordinator), communications (content manager), media (media director), account managing (brand specialist), and development (fundraising), and usually these jobs go to people in communications, business, and social sciences, but because of how broad PR is, any person with any college degree can get involved in a sector that fits their needs. Your creativity and your sense of humor are vital to any PR job you have interest in because employers love to see what you can do differently from what came before. In a way, public relations is a playground and allows you to be as personal as you want to be in your role.
So, what do you do if you are interested in a job in public relations? There are jobs on Handshake and Indeed, but you can also visit the website of the Public Relations Society of America (www.prsa.org). In addition to being a resource for Public Relations professionals, you will find several job postings that you may not see posted anywhere else.
How do you get started? Like most every other occupation, getting an internship while still in college is particularly important. Also, take classes that will help develop both your verbal and written communication skills. As always, making connections with PR professionals already in the work place is vital, so visit the Career Center to find out more about PR jobs and connections with Lawrence alumni already working in PR. Make your appointment with the Career Center here!
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-are-public-relations-jobs
https://www.prsa.org/career/find-a-job
Spencer R. Brown is a sophomore experiencing their first year at Lawrence University, with a major in Government. They work as a media and marketing assistant in the Career Center, and curates articles for students in both Communication, Journalism & Written Arts (#CJW) and Government, Law & International Relations (#GLI) career communities. A writer and animator by trade and part-time school mascot, Spencer is fascinated by finding ways to make digesting information entertaining. Feel free to connect with them on LinkedIn here!