There is no doubt that a good reputation is the main goal of every organization. In order to achieve that, organizations hire PR professionals who will work on their image, tell the story of the company, talk to the media, manage crisis situations etc. These different tasks require skills that PR people need to master.
If you are interested in public relations as a career, here are some of the skills that can be learned and improved through PR, journalism or any other degree related to the field, trainings, internships, jobs etc.
Communication and writing skills
A good PR practitioner is a good communicator. A career in PR requires good communication skills. As a PR professional, you will have to meet with people, talk to journalists, pitch and give presentations, work with groups of people etc.
It is also very important for you to have good writing skills as you will definitely be asked to write press releases, social media content, reports, articles and case studies.
Social media
Nowadays social media plays a very important part in PR. Practitioners need to be familiar with all the different social media platforms whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, LinkedIn, Pinterest or even TikTok. They need to understand how they work and know which one is better to reach the public. Some platforms are better for some messages and strategies just as some target audiences are reached more easily on certain platforms. It’s important to be aware of that. As a PR practitioner, you will need to know when to use a platform and for what purpose.
Research skills
PR practitioners are expected to be very good researchers. It is important to be able to look for information and do quality research in order to communicate with stakeholders and manage crisis situations.
As a PR professional, you will need to have the necessary knowledge of your clients and their needs, your public, the market and your competitors as well. Keep in mind that you can work for different clients in different fields. You will need to be informed about them in order to serve your clients well and satisfy them.
Creativity
Creativity is definitely what the PR field needs. When it comes to creating campaigns, approaching the public, or planning events, creativity and imagination are the best ways to success. Generally, the best campaigns are the ones where you can see a touch of originality. They are distinguished and, most importantly, remembered. So if you think you are creative, then you have almost everything to begin a career in PR.
Time management and team work
PR practitioners may have to work for many clients at the same time. Even if under pressure, they need to know how to serve each one of their clients properly and respect the deadlines. Multi-tasking shouldn’t be a problem. And as they usually work in teams, they need to know how to manage their time, work together in a productive environment and share tasks and duties in order for their work to be good and effective.