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Public Relations Specialists

Also called: Communications Specialist, Public Affairs Specialist, Public Information Officer, Public Relations Specialist (PR Specialist)

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What they do:
Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.
On the job, you would:
  • Respond to requests for information from the media or designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source.
  • Plan or direct development or communication of programs to maintain favorable public or stockholder perceptions of an organization's accomplishments, agenda, or environmental responsibility.
  • Post and update content on the company's Web site and social media outlets.

Knowledge

Communications
  • multimedia
Arts and Humanities
  • English language
Business
  • customer service
  • management
Engineering and Technology
  • computers and electronics

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others
Social
  • understanding people's reactions
  • changing what is done based on other people's actions
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal
  • listen and understand what people say
  • communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • use rules to solve problems

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity
  • Initiative
  • Dependability
  • Persistence
  • Adaptability/Flexibility

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Web page creation and editing software
  • Facebook Hot Technology
  • WordPress Hot Technology
Graphics or photo imaging software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud software Hot Technology In Demand
  • JamBoard
Web platform development software
  • Cascading style sheets CSS Hot Technology
  • Drupal Hot Technology

Education

Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Bright Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$62,800
$37,020
$124,620
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about public relations specialists.