Public Relation as a Career : Explore a World Beyond Glitz and Glamour

If you are a great communicator with good planning skills, have an urge to follow a proactive lifestyle then Public Relation as a career option might just click with you. Of course, this profession is associated with glitz and glamour but beneath that shimmery world lays rigorous toil and loads of hard work. Thus, people looking forward to join PR industry must stay conscious of the fact that this profession requires constant upbeat thinking, trouble shooting and image building exercise.

Nowadays, companies require a PR for various purposes. Be it a product launch or new movie release or visit by a foreign dignitary, the role of a PR always comes into play. A PR's job is not only restricted to image building exercise for a brand or company but it is also expanding to strategic communication at board room levels. Those who pursue Public Relation as a career stream always have an advantage of working with multiple industries. Moreover, they regularly get to meet different kinds of people and hence, never face a tedious or monotonous routine.

What does a PR do?

It is a PR professional's duty to ensure that the product, service or brand he is associated with gets adequate exposure in public via media. Be it Print, television or internet (digital media), a PR agent always strives at ensuring that the product gets noticed and becomes extremely visible to the targeted audience. A PR professional also undertakes the endeavor to ensure that the product gains substantial credibility and public trust.

A PR person constantly needs to foresee, maintain and familiarize himself with the attitude of the customer and then take an initiative accordingly. A PR is accountable for his client's visibility within media and amongst customers.

Skills Required

Public relation as a career path is suitable for people who have an inherent drive to excel in life. Those with quest for knowledge and troubleshooting skills too can pursue this field. Ability to take to challenges with a robust approach too are appreciated.

Multitasking is another very important skill required to make it big. Since a PR is often asked to juggle around tasks involving press meets, promotions, journalists, he/she must be good at balancing the two worlds. Considering the fact that a PR earns his clients trust, maintaining cordial relations is beneficial for long-term relations.

What one learns as a PR

Those who undertake a course in Public Relation's get to lean the nuts and bolts of the domain. From basic principles to negotiation techniques to management skills to planning and strategizing skills, a Public Relation's professional is acquainted with them all.

Moreover, he/she is even taught:

• Writing skills
• Marketing techniques
• Teaching survey methods
• Consumer research

Institutes offering PR programmes

Various renowned institutes across India have been offering programmes in Public Relation. They are as follows:

• Symbiosis institute of Mass communication, Pune
• The Xavier's institute of communications, Mumbai
• Indian institute of Mass communication, Delhi
• Mudra Institute of communications, Ahmedabad
• School of broadcasting and communication, Mumbai
• KC college of management studies, Mumbai

Job Prospects

A student looking for an illustrious career in PR can choose from the following options:

Corporate Communications

Today, all leading organizations have a corporate communications department which looks after image management, brand building and media relations.

Crisis Management

Being a challenging aspect, here a PR is required to restore customer's faith in client's service or product via regulatory agencies and media. For instance, when Cadbury brands Dairy Milk chocolate product got stuck in worm's controversy, a PR professional's role came into practice.

Brand Management

Companies like Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) often hire brand consultants and managers. This is done to identify and analyze a potential market along with marketing means via which they can promote their brand on a high scale.

Lobbying

Remember Nira Radia? Yes, this is what lobbying all about (of course not in a negative sense). A relatively new and unknown field, lobbying is about extracting maximum information from an individual which might benefit the organization.

Image Management

Whenever a famous celebrity or personality undergoes a makeover or feels like boosting one's image, he/she ties up with an image management company. Be it models, actors, artistes or anchors, all in some time fall back on image consultants and PR's.

Event Management

Many companies often organize and host festivals and events after analyzing their target audience. Once they are sure about their consumer needs, they use events such as these as a platform for promotion.

AD Agencies

Public Relation as a career stream even comes handy while dealing with advertising agencies. Under this domain, an individual is required to deal with a client externally. Moreover, they are offered PR solutions in the areas of research, financial relations, editorial, crisis communication, Public affairs and media relations.

Remuneration

Listed below are the income details of PR Professionals.

Designation	Salary (In INR)
Trainee	5,000 - 8,000
Fresher's with Bachelor Degree	10, 000 to 12, 000
Fresher with PR Diploma	15,000 to 20,000
Fresher with MBA	25,000 to 30,000
PR Executive	30,000 to 35,000
Senior PR Executive	40,000 to 50,000
Manager	60,000 to 70,000
Senior Manager	80,000 to 1 lakh
Director	Anything between 1 lakh to 2 lakh. Can even go higher

To conclude

Considering the fact that PR as a profession is gaining huge popularity and importance, making career in the same can prove to be extremely satisfying and lucrative option. Students willing to explore the field of PR are welcomed to enter this domain with sheer enthusiasm and passion.

Last but not the least; if you have that fire in the belly and the zeal to make it big then PR industry is the field to beckon.

 

Source: Priyanka Wali (Shiksha Team)