CAREER IN PUBLIC RELATIONS
Public Relation is a management function that involves monitoring and evaluating public attitudes and maintaining mutual relations and understanding between an organisation and its public. Public could include shareholders, government, consumers, employees and the 
media. It is the act of getting along with people we constantly come in touch with. PROs ensures internal cohesion in the company by maintaining a clear communications network between the management and employees. Its first objective is to improve channels of communication and to establish new ways of setting up a two-way flow of information and understanding.
Public relations as a separate career option has came into existence when lots of private or government companies and institution felt the need to market their product, service and facilities. Public image is important to all organisations and prominent personalities. The role of public relation specialist becomes pertinent in crisis situations when the correct and timely transmission of information can help save the face of the organisation.
In terms of career opportunities, Public relations is broadly practiced for product publicity, corporate publicity, to have better relations with the government, to publish corporate publications like newsletter, bulletins, magazines for employees etc.
The Prospects
Public Relations is a deliberate, planned and sustained effort to develop, establish and maintain two-way communication between an organisation and the public. It could be also described as a management communication resource, which uses communication techniques and tools to create the right environment for a product, business or service.
Public relation officers can find employment in the corporate sector, public sector, government agencies, tourist agencies, hotels, banks and other financial institutions, private consultancy firms etc. Nowadays they can find work even with individuals like political figures, models and film stars who want their pictures, profiles and interviews published in magazines and need agents who can do the work for them so as to have a image in front of general public.
Public image is important to all organisations and prominent personalities. PR workers put together information that keeps the public aware of the organisation's accomplishments and keeps management aware of public attitudes.
The job of a PR person is to work primarily towards establishing and improving mutual relationship, understanding and goodwill between his company or organisation and the clients and the customers, various other groups and the public at large. It is a planned and sustained programme conducted by an organisations management. It monitors awareness, opinions, attitudes and behaviour inside and outside the organisation. It establishes and maintains two-way communication between the organisation and its publics.
The PR function is carried out by:
- Independent PR agencies.
- Corporate communication/PR division of business firms, corporate sector, governmental and non governmental organisations
The Job
In-House PR Personnel
- Problem analysis for clients or management, setting goals and planning PR activities
- Compiling reports, issuing press statements, preparing speeches/articles, publishing newsletters/ brochures/ annual reports/ leaflets and getting audio tape/ film and video production
- Controlling and liasoning with media, being updated on all the quickest forms of global communication in use
- Organising and attending interviews, meetings, presentations and conferences, events, press launches, news conferences, exhibitions, trade fairs, etc
- Coordinating market research through surveys, interviews and opinion polls.
PR Agencies
A PR agency in structure resembles an ad agency. It has client servicing, media, and research departments.
- Client servicing involves handling clients' accounts for all PR services. This involves devising PR strategy based on the complete
understanding of the clients' operations and goals, managing interactions with the media, issuing press briefs, making media presentations and coordinating with all forms of media. - Agencies provide public relation counsel.
- Researching and conducting surveys is an ongoing activity in all agencies.
- Crisis management as a PR function is also gaining significance
Another important area of work in this field is to create public identity or an image for public figures like political parties, models and film stars. It include advising them on every aspect of personality, including dress code, behavior, statement given in press, public appearances etc.
Lobbying, a new field in this career, involves bringing about the passage of laws favorable to the special interest group they represent like a company, industries, government etc. It is a strategy used to raise public consciousness and influence policy makers in areas like environment, human rights, education etc. This is an interesting area of work in public relation.
Personality Traits
- Good Organisational skills
- Ability to handle crisis situation
- Multi-tasking
- Analytical Mind
- Excellent communication skills
- Diplomatic & Patient
- Ability to work under pressure & deadlines
- Salaries
- An Under Graduate would start at approx. Rs. 5-7,000 per month
- Account Executive Starting Position. Approx 2-3 Lacs per annum after a PG degree in Media / Advertising / Mass Communications or an MBA
- Senior PR Official - Approx. 25 30 lacs per annum.
- Study Routes
- Public relations as a subject can be pursued at the graduate level as a full time 3 year degree course .One also has the option of taking it up as a post graduate (graduation in any stream) diploma course. The duration of these courses is one year and selection is generally through a written test on communication skills.
- Class XII, preferred streams are humanities/commerce, graduation in social science/ commerce / public relations.
- Graduation in psychology/communication/management/sociology/any related subject
- Post Graduate / Diploma in public relations or diploma/degree in management/advertising / mass Communications / public Relations etc
Places to Study
Under Graduate Degree / Diploma courses -
- South Gujarat Univ., Post Box No. 49, Udhna Magdalla Road, Surat - 395007.
- University of Mumbai, M G Road, Fort, Mumbai - 400 032.
- Makhanlal Chaturvedi University, Bhopal.
- Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visvavidyalayam, Tirupati-517502.
- Gujarat University Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380009, Gujarat.
- Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002 (UP)
Professional postgraduate diploma courses -
- Indian Institute of Mass Communication, JNU campus, New Delhi.
- Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan's at Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai, Channai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.
- St. Xavier's College of Communications, Mumbai 400001.
- Sophia College, BK Somani Polytechnic, Mumbai.
- Symbiosis Institute of Journalism and Communication, Senapati Bapat Marg, Pune-411004.
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- YMCA Institute of Media Studies,New Delhi.
- Somaiya College of Management, Mumbai.
- New Delhi Polytechnic for Women, New Delhi.
- YWCA, New Delhi.
- Narsee Monjee Institute,V L Mehta Road,Ville Parle, Mumbai.
- School of Communication and Management, Cochin.
- India Foundation for Public Relations Education and Research (IFPR) S-237, GK, New Delhi-110048.
- Centre for Image Management Studies, New Delhi.
Distance Education courses
- Annamalai University , Directorate of Distance Education, Annamalai Nagar-608002.
- Dr. BR Ambedkar Open University, Road 46,Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad- 500033.
- Punjabi university, Department of Correspondence Courses, Patiala-47002.
- Makhanlal Chaturvedi Rashtriya Patrakarita Vishwavidyalaya, E-8 Shahpur, Bhopal-462016
Author: Compass One
Date: 29th Oct., 2009
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