Olivia Fratta
Don’t You Love Social Media? Then Pick a Major That Loves it too.
When I first started college, I started out as a regular communications major because I was not sure yet what specific part of this broad major I would fit into. After taking many classes- journalism, advertising, broadcasting, marketing, and intensive writing- I finally realized public relations had a little bit of all of those and it was the right fit for me. Plus, it requires savvy social media skills 24/7, which is something that I can connect to and am very interested in.
What are Public Relations classes like?
Considering I was a transfer student and have experienced communications classes and public relations classes at two different colleges, I can definitely say they are hands-on classes in the best way possible. However, at Pace University in the MCVA department, you are getting a real experience of what life will be like after college, based on the assignments in class. Most of the assigned work you get will set you up to start an amazing portfolio which will be great for job interviews. Once I started classes at Pace University I knew public relations was right for me because I am getting real facts about this career and real experience through the classroom. The MCVA department at Pace offers a surplus of internships that are extremely valuable in order to get that real-life experience in the PR/Communications field. While an internship will look great on a resume the MCVA internship programs also give students credits towards their degree!
Why you should choose Public relations as your major?
There are many reasons to choose public relations as a major if you’re up to the challenge of getting a high-speed job after you graduate. For one, public relations is very current with news, fashion, specific clients, style, politics, and sports. Who doesn’t want to be on top of all the latest trends? If you have a love for social media (like many people do in this day and age) then in the public relations world you should do just fine, as social media is a major tool used to brand your client or company. What’s also great about choosing PR as your major is there are so many specialties to pick from, along with classes to take and find your specialty at Pace University. For example, in public relations, you can cover media for and promote, celebrities, sports teams, major clothing stores, galas, hotels, restaurants, nonprofit organizations, and much more. Not only that, but you can go into event planning or go into the crisis management part of PR. There is literally something for everyone!
What should you expect from a Public Relations job?
When picking your major, thinking of the future is very important too. Making sure you will like the job you could potentially get after graduation, and can handle all of the aspects of it, is very crucial. It is also vital to know public relations is the first choice for many communications majors, so it can be competitive. An article posted on U.S News & World Report in 2017 said most PR specialists make about $67,000 a year, although someone with a lot of experience can make up to $80,000 a year. It was ranked number 4 on the best creative and media jobs list.
What kind of projects do you work on?
One of the main projects a public relations specialist would work on is writing and sending out press releases, also maintaining a press release database. Public relations specialists create many different things, for example, media relations content, case studies, executive bios, making social media profiles, working on interview proposals, and corporate newsletters. Writing speeches for clients/employers, event planning, and communicating with reporters, producers along with anything or anyone media related.
Who are the top Public Relations companies and people in the US?
A Homles Report article listed the top five public relations companies in the United States with fee income rates between $463,00,00 – $893,591,00 as of 2017. The largest agency is Edelman, an American public relations firm and marketing consultancy, which was founded by Daniel Edelman. The other top-five agencies in the U.S are Weber Shandwick, FleishmanHillard, Ketchum, and Burson-Marsteller. According to Business Insider, the top three PR influencers that have many great skills any entry-level PR agent could follow is, Elliot Schrage, Richard Edelman, and Dave Senay. Schrage is the VP of communications and public policies for Facebook, Edelman helps runs the biggest PR firm in the U.S, and Senay became the CEO of FleishmanHillard.
What are the skill sets that are usually required for Public relations?
Public relations requires a person to bring multiple creative skills to the table and be able to juggle many tasks at once. If public relations is a job you think you are up for then make sure you have some of these skillsets…..
- Reviewing all media coverage
- Being Social Media Savvy
- Brand management
- Relationship building skills
- Multi-tasking skills
- Writing abilities
- Managing many client accounts
- Keeping up a good reputation
- Advertising
Why is Public Relations is a good fit for me?
Public relations is a good fit for me because it has strong interpersonal and communication skills, also having a heavy hand in promoting through social media. I would be able to use my creative skills and multitasking abilities to fulfill the requirements of this job. With media changing and growing rapidly, I feel like I am able to keep up with these fast-paced changes and trends which would be needed in this job field.
Projects I have worked on….
Public relations is a great career and something I am very passionate about pursuing. If this is a job you would consider do your research and see if it is the right fit for you!
Want to hear the basics of PR click this link below.
Sources used
https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/public-relations-specialist/salary
https://study.com/articles/Public_Relations_Specialist_Job_Description_Duties_and_Requirements.html
http://www.top-business-degrees.net/faq/what-does-a-public-relations-specialist-do-for-a-company/