Career as a Public Relations Manager

Overview

The public relations manager is responsible for making a positive and favorable public image of their employer or client by communicating the programs, events, product introductions, charitable programs, accomplishments, and points of view through media releases and interviews. They observe social, economic, and political trends that might ultimately affect their organization, and they recommend ways to enhance the firm's image based on those trends. 

The main responsibilities of a PR Manager are:

• Developing a marketing communication plan including strategy, goals, budget and tactics
• Identifying the main client groups and prepare a strategy to reach them
• Coordinating all public relations activities
• Writing and editing press releases
• preparing newsletters and writing executive presentations and speeches
• Providing support to other departments like internal employee communication with HRD, Website Design with IT and customers related events with sales and marketing
• Assign, supervise, and review the activities of staff

Eligibility

A bachelor's or master's degree in Public Relations, Journalism, English, Communications or Marketing with a PR or Advertising concentration. It's better to have a master's degree as most of the employer preferred a master degree. Along with a degree, you must have an experience of about 5-6 years in related field.

How to be there?

1. Earn a bachelor's or master's degree in the related field

2. Start working in the related field and gain experience

3. Get the certification in the related field if any. It's not mandatory but it'll help you in your career growth

Skills Required

A PR Manager must have:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Presentation skills
• Excellent organizational and planning skills
• understanding of media needs and relationships
• Problem solving skills
• Leadership and team management skills
• Ability to work in high-stress environments, often for long hours
• A wide degree of creativity and latitude
• A positive and professional approach
• Self motivation

Who should choose this career?

Who enjoy media/journalism-style writing, tolerate stress, and enjoy travel. Who love working with people and solving problems, hard-working and able to deal with a number of different tasks at one time.

Work Hours

Most public relations managers work full time, which often includes long hours. It's not something like a 9-5 job. You may need to work on weekends also.

Salary

A Public Relations (PR) Manager earns an average salary of Rs 4.5 Lakh per year. Most people move on to other jobs if they have more than 10 years' experience in this field. A skill in Marketing Communications is associated with higher pay for this job. Experience has a moderate effect on income for this job.

Career Scope

One can seek opportunities in following sectors as a PR Manager:

Public relation firms

Non profit organizations

Hospitals

Universities and colleges

Large business or corporations

Government Agencies

Celebrities also have their own PR Manager now a days

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Lots of challenges
• Great work atmosphere
• Opportunities for travel
• Opportunities of learning new things

Cons:

• Unpaid overtime even though the average number of hours is 10-12 per day.
• Handling high-stress situations
• Multiple projects simultaneously