What Does A Public Relations Practitioner Do?

The practice of public relations is crucial in today’s society. It is the management of the release and spread of information to the public. Some of the benefits of public relations include the enhancement of media relations, improved employee relations, and crisis management.

There are many different aspects of PR that should be focused on. Yes, it does include crisis management, but there is so much more to it. This is why it is important to understand the responsibilities that a public relations practitioner has and some of the skills that are necessary for this career field.

Main Responsibilities

Event Planning: These events can include special events, media events, management functions, and more.

Media Relations: Dealing with the media in a professional way is crucial. This also includes being able to use social media in an effective way to get messages across.

Internal Communications: This includes working with internal publics within the organization like employees and managers of a firm.

Community Relations: Putting forth a positive message and image within the company is a huge endeavor. The community can really dictate what an organization does next.

Crisis Communications: When an organization is under siege for any urgent situations that threaten credibility, it is the PR practitioner’s responsibility to assure the public that things are under control and being handled the right way.

Necessary Skills

There are many skills that the field of PR entails. Obtaining a bachelor's degree in public relations or communications is an important first step in order to gain the foundational aspects of this career path. It is also crucial to know how to write and speak clearly. This is a necessary part of the job since communicating with the public verbally and in written formats is done on a daily basis. This job can be high stress, so it is wise to gain experience in working under pressure. Being organized and creative is also important. The PR person is the spokesperson and face of the organization, so being personable is necessary for getting the message across.

Public relations is not just about managing a crisis and trying to smooth it over. The cardinal rule in public relations is to never lie and this should be the mindset of every public relations professional. While crisis management is a big part of the job, so much of it is about communication with various publics both in and outside the company. Over the last century, public relations has become a necessity. It is a broad and rewarding field with so many opportunities for growth and success.