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Public Relations Job

Written by: Susan Lane

Article Overview: Do you hate working overtime, or do you love the thrill of putting in as much of your energy towards a project as possible? Do you like professional development courses, or are corporate-sponsored training courses the bane of your existence? Well, if you are looking to get a public relations job, these are some of the questions you need to ask yourself. You might love dealing with the press, but there are things you should understand about both yourself and the industry before deciding whether or not it will be a good fit.

Public Relations Job

Do you hate working overtime, or do you love the thrill of putting in as much of your energy towards a project as possible? Do you like professional development courses, or are corporate-sponsored training courses the bane of your existence? Well, if you are looking to get a public relations job, these are some of the questions you need to ask yourself. You might love dealing with the press, but there are things you should understand about both yourself and the industry before deciding whether or not it will be a good fit.

If you answered the first question by saying you hate working overtime, then read no further. Let me tell you right here and now that a career in this industry is not for you. There are fewer part-time jobs in this industry than the majority of others. In fact, in 2004, 14 percent of public relations workers were part-time, compared to 16 percent of workers in all other industries. Overall, workers in the industry worked 33.8 hours per week, while the national average rested below at just 33.7.

While most employees will be able to work in comfortable offices with an often more than comfortable salary, long hours are almost a requirement of the job. Weekends and evenings are often spent working away in those comfortable offices. You should be able to come to work not in spite of those long hours, but because you love the amount of time that is needed to put into doing a spectacular job.

Most people think that they would be able to sacrifice much of their personal lives because of the excitement and fast-paced environment that a public relations job would seem to offer. While the excitement is undoubtedly there, that sort of work environment can also prove extremely stressful and draining to many. Tight deadlines and international travel – both of which are a part and parcel of a career in this industry – can be too much for many to take.

Because of the demanding nature of these positions, many firms see it as their responsibility to provide as much training and support to their employees as possible. If you are one of those people who cannot stand employer-paid time management classes or team-building exercises, then get out while you still can!

Firms may vary in size – from one-person operations to a team thousands strong – but the experience, by and large, is the same. And, for that reason, you need to be prepared, and to know what you are getting yourself into.

A public relations job might not mean the same thing to all people. For some, it means management. For others, it means sales. But, all are working together to bring their clients to the forefront of their respective industries. Because of the competitive nature of the industry, you should be ready to wear whatever hat is asked of you. By the end of your career, you may well have been everything from an entry-level account manager to a top-level public relations specialist, and it will have all been worth the ride.

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