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Given the nature of their work, it's no surprise public relations professionals tell a positive story about the demand for their services in the current labor market. But given economic trends and the growing importance of HR specialties like crisis management and investor relations, PR folks' optimism isn't just spin.
The public relations field, like other marketing-related activities, has recovered substantially from a low point in the early 2000s. "Right after 9/11, people weren't putting money behind public relations," says Catherine Bolton, executive director of the Public Relations Society of America. In 2006, "we [were] back up to record spending."
Numbers reinforce the PR industry's claims. The proportion of companies planning to increase spending on public relations more than doubled in a year, from 11 percent in 2005 to 26 percent in 2006, according to a survey by Aquent Marketing Staffing in Boston. More importantly for job seekers, the proportion of marketing departments planning to increase PR staff also doubled over the same period, from 4 percent to 8 percent.
PR Recruitment Activities -- Including Internship Offers -- Are Up
As PR departments and agencies hire more rapidly, they're bolstering the activities that attract promising candidates. "The number of interns that agencies are bringing in has easily doubled over [2005]," says Bolton.
Still, "there are lots of applicants for internships and jobs," says Paul Rand, a partner and global chief development and innovation officer at public relations firm Ketchum in New York City. "Kids coming out of college have amazing amounts of experience. You can't just float in and think you're going to get a job."
Employers Seek PR Pros Who Can Support Business Strategy
Whether public relations hires will be called on to handle a corporate governance scandal or to pitch a new product to gatekeepers of the latest online genre, understanding the underlying business strategy is key, experts say.
"There's an increasing need for a business background," says Rand. "I encourage people to get an MBA, to understand communications as a part of a business proposition that can move that proposition along."
Beyond that, communications skills, especially writing ability, are in great demand. PR departments and agencies "are looking for someone who can write and knows something about business," says Dan Lattimore, a vice provost at the University of Memphis and author of Public Relations: The Practice and the Profession.
PR firms will look for writing experience on candidates' resumes, anything from mention of an honors essay to publication of articles in national media. Savvy firms go further, asking for writing samples to back up what's claimed on the resume or to evidence further written work. If the position includes heavy writing or editing responsibilities, candidates may even be given an on-the-spot test of those skills.
Candidates for PR jobs are wise to get advice from a teacher or mentor regarding which writing samples will come across best in a job search. And keep in mind that every written element of a candidate's application -- from the quality of prose in a cover letter to the consistency with which information is presented in application forms -- may be taken as an indicator of writing ability.
New Media Change Everything in the Public Relations Landscape
While reports of the death of traditional media like television and print may be premature, there's no doubt a comprehensive public relations strategy must take into account a kaleidoscope of Internet media. "You've got to work the people on the Web, because they influence all the media," says Bolton.
Internet genres like blogs, podcasts, MySpace and Second Life generate their own species of PR challenges and opportunities. "With all these technologies, there's more to figure out, manage, write and respond to," says Bolton. Some knowledge of these new media is shifting from a preferred qualification for candidates to a requirement.
In the eyes of PR firms, up-to-date knowledge of the Internet arena is good, but demonstrable involvement in the creation or production of online content is better. Candidates can mention their work on the Web sites of their educational institutions or other organizations, or mention Internet content they have created themselves.
But PR job seekers should be wary of revealing too much personal information in their online presence, whether they point to that information in their resumes or not. Hiring managers at PR firms should be expert at Internet search, so Google yourself and assume they will do the same. In a career field where presentation is key, mismanaging your own image can be fatal.
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