Job Responsibilities in Public Relations

So is a PR career for you? Take a look at the main job responsibilities/skills you'll need for a career in public relations.

Staying Informed: If you have an insatiable appetite for news, you'll love this career. Reading a variety of newspapers every day is a must. Consume information from any and all sources as it relates to your clients or the organization you represent, including the mainstream press, trade magazines, web sites, chat rooms, discussion boards, online newsletters and industry conferences.

Organization: As they say, the devil is in the details! With the massive amount of information you will need to organize, every bit of information is vital, and you will always need to have it at your fingertips. You will also be responsible for organizing meetings, press conferences, panel discussions and other major events.

Communications: The majority of your time will be spent communicating in writing or verbally. There is no better place to learn the art of a well written memo than in public relations. At the very least, a stint in public relations will greatly enhance your communication skills.

Listening: Probably the most overlooked part of great communications skills. More often than not, misunderstandings can easily be averted by listening first, saving you time and money.

Anticipation: The bulk of public relations used to be focused on reacting to a situation and then developing a responsereferred to as "spinning." More and more public relations has now shifted towards thinking ahead and analyzing trends; reducing surprises and developing more effective communication strategies.