Public relations is not only about generating buzz or maintaining an image, but also about complex strategic communications. Once regarded as "practitioners" crafting communications and messages for press releases, public relations professionals have now widened their scope. With a growing focus on the business and strategic impact of communications, the industry's role grows more important with every passing day.

What makes public relations unique?

The most striking difference of public relations compared with other sectors of information media is its lack of a designated distribution channel for its content. In fact, it is dependent on all of the available media outlets to help spread the information it has gathered on behalf of its clients. Public relations practitioners work with journalists at television stations, magazines, newspapers, web sites and radio stations to get their message out. However, while in public relations, information is gathered to help develop and implement a communications strategy on behalf of a paying client, journalists gather information to be shared with the communities they serve.

What attracts people to work in public relations?

Public relations practitioners are advocates for business, nonprofits, governments and other organizations to help those entities better communicate with the public. Their primary role is to understand the world around them, anticipating trends that will affect their clients or the organization they represent.

Those attracted to the industry are generally strategic thinkers who enjoy the challenge of crafting a message to meet the communications goals of an organization. Of course, there's no denying that schmoozing is a must in this industry; convincing journalists to write about your client is a talent unto itself.

On the agency side, or internally at a company, public relations professionals help organizations better understand how the marketplace perceives them, and how to best relate to its various shareholders, including its employees, customers, stockholders and anyone else with a vested interest in the company. Developing and maintaining a wide variety of relationships is another crucial responsibility of a public relations professional.

Breaking down public relations

Agencies: The most common route into the public relations field is to join a public relations firm. Firms pitch their communication services to clients ranging from corporations to nonprofit organizations to government agencies. These services include organizing press events, writing press releases, launching new products, publishing, providing "damage control" for corporate missteps or miscommunication, as well as a variety of other strategic support.

Corporate Communications: Also referred to as the "client side" in the public relations world. There are two primary corporate communications roles, media relations and investor relations. Media relations focuses on relationships with media outlets like newspapers and television stations. Investor relations focuses on those shareholders with a financial stake or interest in the company, like stockholders, financial analysts and potential investors. Some senior executives in this field develop and maintain the overall corporate communications strategy.

Publicists: A public relations function in which the communications needs of a single individual, such as an author or other celebrity, is served. Referred to as press secretaries in politics. Publicists manage all relations with the media, promote their client's activities (or downplay them in some cases) and manage their public schedule.