Public Relations is the art and science of creating and maintaining a favorable public image for a company. An excellent PR professional will be a jack of all trades, as the PR pros I’ve worked with are excellent writers, methodical executers, curious readers, and creative thinkers. Like the rest of the marketing industry, PR has gone digital and all campaigns can be measured against very quantitative goals, such as clicks, views, conversions, and mentions. If you love brands and storytelling, and can really hustle for results, PR might be for you.
There are so many paths you can take in PR based on your interests. For example, if you want to work with lots of different clients at an agency, then you can specialize by industry and work at PR agencies that deal specifically with fashion, beauty, food, sports, or government. You could also choose to go in-house at one specific company and join their PR team.
According to my friends who work in PR, this definitely is an industry in which you work from the bottom up. You grind through grueling hours (and sometimes, crazy clients) at the entry level. If you stick with it, it is possible to move up at a steady pace – maybe make Partner or start your own firm! It takes a lot of mental energy because you always need to know what’s hot and what’s new. You’ll need to be naturally curious and excited about reading the news and industry reports.
If you’re interviewing at a PR agency, make sure to read up on their past projects for their specific clients. Have they organized any big launches? Have they been featured in any media hype? You need to be able to answer why you want to work for this firm, not just any old PR firm. Have a point on what’s going on in the industry, and practice networking and writing press releases (need to learn how to write a press release? check this out!)
Main Responsibilities:
- Deeply understand the brand you’re working on and how that relates to the campaign at hand, whether for a general brand lift or a product launch
- Write effective press releases in order to earn media coverage
- Network and maintain lists of relevant media contacts in your industry so that you can collaborate on media pieces
- Execute on events and coverage for openings, launches, and influencer parties
- Create reports on PR campaigns that summarize ROI
- Bring novel, fresh thinking to a fast-paced world and always add value
For example, if you’re a PR associate and your client is a hot LA restaurant group that’s about to open a trendy bar, you might:
- Have regular meetings with the business side of the restaurant group to understand their goals and metrics of success
- Keep track of their events calendar (e.g., private events, new seasonal menus)
- Pitch an angle for the event and the marketing around the new bar
- Send press releases to relevant food and LA-related media outlets to stir up excitement
- Monitor the LA food influencer scene and keep a list of possible collaborations
- Plan a launch event for the bar opening
- Send invitations to their guest list, media, and celebrities
- Book a great photographer
- Coordinate food logistics with the kitchen
- Plan swag bags
- Attend and make sure everyone has a great time
- Do a media pull (summarizing any online mentions) the next day
- Debrief with your team and the client team about the launch success and what they can expect going forward
Helpful Resources
- How to write a press release
- How to get an internship
- How to network
- Day in the Life of a PR Pro
