In the broadest sense, public relations involve in-depth analysis and understanding of all the factors influencing people’s attitudes towards an organization. This area is more comprehensive than related marketing, governmental affairs, counseling, special events, and others. PR includes all of them and integrates their achievements in the process, which is described with the RACE acronym: Research, Action, Communication, and Evaluation (Wilcox et al. ch. 1). In terms of its importance as a “face” and “voice” of an organization, a PR specialist is second only to the head of the company in many situations. Moreover, carrying out continuous, direct contact with the general public and all kinds of stakeholders, the PR specialist conducts research and is the first to receive information about the image and perception of the organization’s performance. Thus, PR teams and their members’ professional activities are a source of vital data about what people think and say about the company. At the same time, the professional tasks also include the formation of the desired image and perception among the target audience. Thus, career skills in PR include “writing, research, planning, problem-solving, business/economics, and social media” (Wilcox et al., ch. 1.3.4). Ethics issues are a separate important and often problematized field of evaluation of the PR service.
To develop a career in the field of PR, it is necessary to participate in internships. This will allow in the future to apply the skills acquired as part of work in real organizations in the post-educational stage of career growth. Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Foundation annually offer a wide range of scholarships and awards for future PR specialists (“Individual Scholarships”). One of the advantages of these scholarships and grants is that most of them are paid, and many offer full coverage of the costs. Thus, there are various opportunities and chances for PR students to enhance their career start during their pre-professional training.
Once a person finishes their education, it is essential to engage in further professional development. PRSA makes it possible by offering relevant extensive programs, both for in-person sessions and online courses (“Professional Development”). Apart from getting professional certificates, these projects help networking, which is crucial for boosting the career and keeping up with the profession’s trends. The boundaries between PR, marketing, and advertising are gradually blurring, resulting in new requirements for a PR specialist’s profession.
Works Cited
“Individual Scholarships.” PRSSA. Web.
“Professional Development.” PRSA. Web.
Wilcox, Dennis L., et al.. Introduction to Public Relations: Public Relations Strategies and Tactics. 11th e Pearson., 2016.