What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

When beginning in any career, it's important to know a little bit about what you're getting into. Most of us future PR practitioners know the public relations industry and have an expectation of what we will be involved in, but it is always good to know the statistics of what kind of career you are walking into.

Most of this kind of information can be found on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, but here I will touch on some of the key facts for public relations specialists.

As we all know, having a Bachelor's degree from an accredited university is the most prominent first step. Public Relations doesn't always necessarily have to be your major though. Some companies accept PR specialists with degrees in journalism or marketing. Additional experience in the PR field is a major plus, and as most (if not all) advisors will tell you, an internship in the PR field will look like gold on your resume. Also, membership in your regional chapters of PRSA or PRSSA and such communities will boost your chances at success.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the employment for public relations practitioners to increase by 24% between 2008 and 2018. While this is faster than the average for most industries, do not let this fool you. Competition will be stiff as the industry is highly congested with new graduates and entry level job seekers. Now don't get scared, rapid global expansion and the emergence of social media is likely to open many opportunities in the public relations industry. Bilingual applicants are always in demand.

Now to the good stuff. The mean annual wage for entry level public relations specialists is reported at $59,150 by The Bureau of Labor Statistics. This same report also lists the states with the highest employment level as California, New York, Texas, Florida (yay!) and Pennsylvania. The top paying states are Washington D.C., New York, Virginia, California and Maryland. In D.C. The annual mean wage is $82,540! But you need to remember the cost of living in each city is different if you plan on relocating.

Below are listed some of the general job descriptions of a PR practitioner in his/her early stages (provided by The Public Relations Professional Career Guide) :

• Entry-Level Technician- “Follows others' directions to gather and disseminate information, persuade, and/or solicit feedback.”
• Technician 2- “Gathers and disseminates information to persuade and/or solicit feedback. May direct the abilities of entry-level technicians. ”
• Supervisor 1- “Manages processes, projects and functional units. The supervisor continues to utilize technical and craft skills but also applies interpersonal, conceptual, problem-solving, consulting, and teaching skills.”
• Supervisor 2- “Supervises organizational units. Required skills include planning, budgeting, scheduling, organizing, leading, controlling and problem solving.”

Please remember that these job descriptions are not always how it is in the real world. This is merely a guide to a general idea of PR jobs.

Now you have a basic understanding of what to expect from your future career in PR!

References:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2011, May 17). Public Relations Specialists. Occupational Employment Statistics. Retrieved October 3, 2011 from http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes273031.htm.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2010, May 17). Public Relations Specialist. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition. Retrieved October 3, 2011 from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos086.htm.

The PRSA Foundation. (1993). The Public Relations Professional Career Guide. Retrieved October 3, 2011 from http://www.prsa.org/jobcenter/career_resources/resource_type/tools_tactics/CareerGuidePRSAFoundation/Career_Guide.pdf.