Exploring Careers in Public Relations

By Trey Buckingham

Going on the job search can be scary for many students, but there are always openings in a variety of positions looking for the skills that make Grady students stand out!

Choosing a job after college is one of the most daunting tasks students will have to face in the near future. PR students in particular may have an especially challenging time trying to narrow down their options. Whether it’s in public relations, advertising or sales, there are plenty of job opportunities to pursue.

Public Relations Specialist

The role of a public relations specialist is one characterized by the traditional missions of the PR field. PR specialists are responsible for creating and maintaining a positive image for the company that employs them. This is usually accomplished through social media campaigns, working with journalists to receive earned media, press releases and crisis control. This position does not typically require extensive past experience and is a good option for an early career job. There are a few jobs that are similar to PR specialists. Publicists have most of the same responsibilities as PR specialists; however, instead of working for corporations and businesses, they work for individuals. The strategies used by publicists to maintain a positive image for people will often differ from the strategies used by PR specialists. 

Social Media Manager 

Managing social media accounts is a skill that every PR professional should build upon. In today’s digital age, a brand’s social media is possibly the most important aspect of its public image. This is where most of the interaction takes place between consumers and corporations. Social media managers must understand how to create an aesthetic and tone that effectively represents the brand that they are creating content for. Knowledge of internet trends and marketing principles is necessary for success in this role. 

Communications Director

Corporations employ communications directors to oversee nearly all communication duties that need to be carried out. This includes social media, press releases, advertising and more. This role is focused on more big picture items, as communications directors are responsible for creating strategies and plans that other employees use as guidelines for content creation. The goal of a communications director is to maintain a consistent image for a brand and to ensure that all media created positively serves the brand’s purpose. This role requires years of experience in various communications fields, making it a career goal that young professionals can strive for. 

Copywriter

Pulling from the public relations and journalism fields, copywriters are tasked with creating the text that consumers see in advertisements, social media posts and company websites. As a position that requires strong writing and communication skills, public relations graduates are well prepared for this kind of work. Along with writing text, copywriters conduct research, brainstorm ideas and work with marketing and advertising teams to help ensure that their product reaches the target audience. Copywriters are employed in-house at corporations, at advertising agencies or contracted through freelance work. 

Event Planner

Event planning lends itself to those with excellent interpersonal communication skills and attention to detail. This job requires a fair amount of initiative and a deep understanding of various logistical issues. Event planners must be able to satisfy the requests of their customers while considering the needs of every party involved. Event planners work with venue managers, food vendors and entertainment companies to provide customers with a successful event while staying within their budget. 

These are just a few of the jobs that PR majors may pursue after graduating. As you can see, there are a variety of opportunities across the communications and public relations field, and students can tailor their skills to a wide range of different jobs after college!