Public Relations – Your Duties
Typically, a job in Public Relations will require you to:
- Be the main contact as Media Liaison/company spokesperson.
- Create and maintain a company’s communication, content & PR.
- Identify opportunities to be seen as company of choice in your related industry/market.
- Manage the Public Relations budget of the company.
- Promote and protect the brand ethos and reputation.
- Create, supervise and attend company events.
- Assist with the creating of all company marketing material, including press releases, company website and social media.
- Communicate to internal and external clients about the company’s products, news and other developments.
- Maintain close contact with media and other marketing outlets for disseminating communications to targeted audience.
Public Relations – Skills Needed
To work in the dynamic world of Public Relations you will need to master a combination of skills. Some of these include:
- Excellent people and negotiation skills.
- Good planning and analytical skills.
- Good communication and people skills.
- Ability to motivate and lead by example.
- Ability to work under pressure.
- Excellent understanding of Social Media and content writing skills.
- Excellent computer and software tools skills.
Your Public Relations CV Must-Haves
A career in Public Relations is very diverse so fine-tune your CV to suit the job you are applying for. Don’t use the same CV over and over for every job you apply for:
- Highlight your experience and career summary right from the start.
- Focus on the skills that will show why you can be an asset.
- Give examples of your most relevant skills that are transferable to the new position.
- List your technical skills like using media software.
Public Relations Interview Questions
Each company is different and so will be the interviews you will attend. Here are some of the more typical questions that will be asked so be prepared for your next interview.
- What does a job in Public Relations mean to you?
- Share with us one of your biggest successes.
- Have you used social media to leverage your brands strengths?
- How have you handled negative public perception/crisis management?
- How do you stay calm under pressurised deadlines?
Public Relations Qualifications
You don’t necessarily need a degree or diploma to get started in this industry but it’s advised that you do, especially if you want to grow in your career. If you excel in what you do, your qualifications shouldn’t be a problem. As with any job, this role is always evolving so keep up to date with skills and qualifications required:
- Qualification in Public Relations, Marketing or related field.
- Degree in Public Relations, Communication or Journalism.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Journalism or other relevant field.
Salaries in the Public Relations industry
Your salary in Public Relations will range from company to company. Below are current salessalary levels based on actual salary offerings on the CareerJunction website:
- Intermediate: R21,688 – R26,823
- Senior: R26,566 – R35,045
Public Relations Resources
Written by CareerJunction
