Public Relations Specialist

Working Schedule

• Public Relations Specialists work full-time and often “overtime.” Firms or company PR departments may employ them. Some work independently. Their schedules must be flexible to accommodate the needs of their clients, and travel may be necessary occasionally.  

Typical Duties

• Help clients identify and present the attributes they want the public to recognize and appreciate 
• Engage with media outlets on behalf of clients
• Answer requests for information in a timely fashion
• Assist clients with polishing their image and communications skills
• Ghostwrite draft speeches and correspondence for clients to review, edit, and share as their own words
• Write press releases for various outlets
• Develop trusting relationships with media and corporate contacts
• Coach clients on how to properly convey sentiments in a way that achieves desired outcomes
• Consult on physical aspects of personal branding and presentations, including a client’s hairstyle, wardrobe, eye contact, posture, movement, and speech
• Create successful interviewing strategies, including holding mock interviews
• Review past and current popular opinions being presented by the media, including social media 
• Work to enhance positive perceptions, build on strengths, and garner reviews and engagement from the client’s audience, customers, fans, or followers
• Look at existing branding and advertising to assess current suitability

Additional Responsibilities

• Keep clients “out of trouble” by helping them understand how their words and actions carry consequences 
• Remind clients that in today’s age of smartphones, the Internet, and social media, they must stay constantly vigilant about what they say and do in public
• Devise actionable steps to best address public criticism or negative attention (via “crisis communications” plans)
• Help clients stay flexible and ready to adapt to sudden changes, so they can capitalize on opportunities and be prepared to tackle problems

Soft Skills

• Attention to detail
• Collaboration 
• Communication skills
• Creativity
• Data-driven
• Interpersonal skills 
• Organized
• Negotiation skills 
• Networking skills
• Persistence
• Persuasiveness
• Public speaking
• Problem-solving 
• Realistic
• Salesmanship
• Sound judgment
• Thinking on one’s feet

Technical Skills

• Creative and technical writing skills
• Deep understanding of all forms of media from radio and TV to newspapers, websites, social media, etc.
• Familiarity with social media platforms and uses
• Knowledge of brand and marketing principles 
• Knowledge of software for:
  • Cloud-based sharing
  • Customer relationship management 
  • Data mining/analytics
  • Desktop publishing
  • Graphics and imaging
  • Project management 
  • Video creation
  • Website creation

• Ad agencies
• Educational services
• Government
• Media buyers
• PR firms or departments 
• Professional associations

Public Relations Specialists are trusted by large and small clients to manage and boost reputations. For businesses, this is often to increase revenue, meaning there could be a lot of money at stake. If a company has invested tons of capital into an endeavor, it needs the best PR to help ensure success and Return on Investment.

Meanwhile, if a company is involved in a negative incident making the rounds in headlines and viral social media, PR reps have to swoop in for damage control. Per PWC, “32% of all customers would stop doing business with a brand they loved after one bad experience.” So, for larger companies with 24/7 global operations, this could mean needing a PR Specialist “on call” to address urgent matters. 

By the same token, many high-net-worth private individuals (such as celebrities) employ PR experts for the same services. When the client is a sole individual, the PR Specialist has more time to learn that person’s brand so they can tailor a unique, customized plan of action for them. However, they must also be able to deal with the client’s personal habits, attitudes, moods, and eccentricities. Consider singer Christina Aguilera’s contract rider, which states that while en route to a show, she should have a police escort and that “under no circumstances are the vehicles to be allowed to encounter any delays due to traffic.”

Thanks to ‘round-the-clock news coverage and social media, the words and deeds of well-known persons and organizations can now be scrutinized, reported on, and shared 24/7. There are pros and cons to this level of ongoing analysis. Savvy opportunists can take advantage of the phenomenon to raise awareness of their products or services and enhance their brand value. But PR Specialists must find ways to navigate their clients under this constant limelight. 

These days, brand reputation is critical, financial stakes are high, and situations can turn on a dime with devastating consequences. For example, a company that was trusted yesterday might be demonized by the end of today (see Forbes’ How United Became The World's Most Hated Airline In One Day). Or a celebrity known for their friendly persona can seriously harm their reputation in an instant, with one high-publicized incident (see Variety’s Can Will Smith Recover From the Oscars Slap Fallout?). 

Other PR trends include brand collaborations, data-driven decision-making, and increased focus on ethical purposes. In addition, clients are being advised to consider engagement over promotion, leverage the power of podcasts, utilize more visual content, and market via smaller influencers. 

Psychology has a big part to play in PR, and specialists may have been interested in learning how to influence people’s thinking and opinions. In their younger days, they may have enjoyed watching compelling commercials or admiring eye-catching ads, while trying to break down what made those things so entertaining. PR Specialists probably loved to engage with social media growing up. They paid attention to how fickle public opinion is and how quickly it can shift. They took note of marketing successes and humiliating failures, often initiated by a single viral post.