After explaining what my major is, I am always asked what I can do with it. It's a fair question. Job security is a serious concern these days. Fear not, my loved ones. Public Relations is a highly secure career field. Here is a small compilation of the vast number of positions one can have with a public relations degree:
1. Research
This type of PR involves gathering primary data and analyzing secondary data. It's an essential first step for organizing any public relations plan. Questionnaires. Charts. Graphs. Statistics. You have to understand and interpret it all.
2. Social Media
We spend most of our time online. It's now a fact of life. Social media management is a serious career move. It's not as simple as taking a picture and adding a couple hashtags. It requires understanding search engine optimization and the intricate rules for algorithms within each social media platform.
3. Community Relations
This type of public relations is utilized when a business or non-profit organization builds a relationship with their communities through events and local engagement. Guerrilla marketing and awesome creativity reign in this section of public relations.
4. Public Affairs
The government hires public relations specialists, too. This sector of public relations is prominent with political campaigns, governmental departments, and politicians.
5. Crisis Management
This sector of public relations is not for the faint of heart. Acting as firefighters for the worst public relations problems, these specialists are found in all industries with backup plans for the backup plans. They help clean up the mess and strengthen a company or organization after their weakest moment.
6. Health Communications
This sector deserves its own paragraph because of its hybrid nature between business and nonprofit. It's messy and complicated but incredibly rewarding. Managing multiple and diverse publics requires skills that are much needed and hard to find.
So, for anyone interested, there are thousands of jobs in public relations amid several sectors and types. Variety is the spice of life and public relations is where you find it.
