keen [kJn] a , , ,
profitability [¢prOfItq¢bIlItI] n ,
targeted [¢tQ:gItId] a
recognize [¢rekqgnaIz] v ,
handle [hxndl] v ,
mediation [,mJdI¢eISn] n
cooperative [kqV¢OpqrqtIv] a
stockholder [¢stOk,hqVldq] n
accomplishment [q¢kOmplISmqnt] n ,
be aware of [q¢wFq] ,
deal with [dJl] (dealt, dealt) v ,
nutrition [nju:¢trIS(q)n] n
engagement [In¢geIGmqnt] n ,
convention [kqn¢venS(q)n] n ,
lease [lJs] n , ,
executive [Ig¢zekjutiv] n , ()
overall [¢qVvqrLl] a ,
overtime [¢qVvqtaIm] n
deadline [¢dedlaIn] n ,
headquarters [¢hed¢kwLtqz] n , ()
Public Relations Specialists
Significant Points:
Employment of public relations specialists is expected to increase faster than average, while keen competition is expected for entry-level jobs.
Opportunities should be best for college graduates who combine a degree in journalism, public relations, advertising, or other communications-related fields with public relations work experience.
Nature of the Work
An organizations reputation, profitability, and even its continued existence can depend on the degree to which its targeted publics support its goals and policies. Public relations specialists serve as advocates for businesses, governments, universities, hospitals, schools, and other organizations, and build and maintain positive relationships with the public. As managers recognize the growing importance of good public relations to the success of their organizations, they increasingly rely on public relations specialists for advice on strategy and policy of such programs.
Public relations specialists handle organizational functions such as media, community, consumer, and governmental relations; political campaigns; interest-group representation; conflict mediation; or employee and investor relations. However, public relations is not only telling the organizations story. Understanding the attitudes and concerns of consumers, employees, and various other groups is also a vital part of the job. To improve communications, public relations specialists establish and maintain cooperative relationships with representatives of community, consumer, employee, and public interest groups and those in print and broadcast journalism.
Informing the general public, interest groups, and stockholders of an organizations policies, activities, and accomplishments is an important part of a public relations specialists job. Their work keeps management aware of public attitudes and concerns of the many groups and organizations with which they must deal.
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Public relations specialists prepare press releases and contact people in the media who might print or broadcast their material. Many radio or television special reports, newspaper stories, and magazine articles start at the desks of public relations specialists. Sometimes the subject is an organization and its policies towards its employees or its role in the community. Often the subject is a public issue, such as health, nutrition, energy, or the environment.
Public relations specialists also arrange and conduct programs for contact between organization representatives and the public. For example, they set up speaking engagements and often prepare speeches for company officials. These specialists represent employers at community projects; make film, slide, or other visual presentations at meetings and school assemblies; and plan conventions. In addition, they are responsible for preparing annual reports and writing proposals for various projects.
In government, public relations specialists who may be called press secretaries, information officers, public affairs specialists, or communications specialists keep the public informed about the activities of government agencies and officials. For example, public affairs specialists in the Department of Energy keep the public informed about the proposed lease of offshore land for oil exploration. A press secretary for a member of Congress keeps constituents aware of their elected representatives accomplishments.
In large organizations, the key public relations executive, who is often a vice president, may develop overall plans and policies with other executives. In addition, public relations departments employ public relations specialists to write, do research, prepare materials, maintain contacts, and respond to inquiries.
People who handle publicity for an individual or who direct public relations for a small organization may deal with all aspects of the job. They contact people, plan and do research, and prepare material for distribution. They may also handle advertising or sales promotion work to support marketing.
Working Conditions
Some public relations specialists work a standard 35- to 40-hour week, but unpaid overtime is common. Occasionally they have to be at the job or on call around the clock, especially if there is an emergency or crisis. Public relations offices are busy places; work schedules can be irregular and frequently interrupted. Schedules often have to be rearranged to meet deadlines, deliver speeches, attend meetings and community activities, and travel out of town.
Employment
Public relations specialists held about 122,000 jobs in 1998. Almost two-thirds of salaried public relations specialists worked in services industries management and public relations firms, educational institutions, membership organizations, health care organizations, social service agencies, and advertising agencies, for example. Others worked for manufacturing firms, financial institutions, and government agencies. About 13,000 public relations specialists were self-employed.
Public relations specialists are concentrated in large cities where press services and other communications facilities are readily available, and many businesses and trade associations have their headquarters. Many public relations consulting firms, for example, are in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, DC. There is a trend, however, for public relations jobs to be dispersed throughout the Nation.
http://www.collegegrad.com/career/careerinpublicrelations.shtml
Unit IV
