All About Public Relations Specialists

Job Description & Duties Engage in promoting or creating an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media.

PR Specialist Responsibilities

• Coach client representatives in effective communication with the public or with employees.
• Prepare or edit organizational publications, such as employee newsletters or stockholders’ reports, for internal or external audiences.
• Develop marketing campaigns for environmental technologies or services.
• Coordinate public responses to environmental management incidents or conflicts.
• Update and maintain content posted on the Web.
• Purchase advertising space or time as required to promote client’s product or agenda.

PR Specialist Required Skills

When polled, Public Relations Specialists say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.

Other PR Specialist Job Titles

• Speech Writer
• Image Consultant
• Marketing Specialist
• Public Relations Consultant
• Communication Specialist

Job Outlook for Public Relations Specialists

There were about 259,600 jobs for Public Relations Specialists in 2016 (in the United States).

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.8% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 22,900 new jobs for Public Relations Specialists by 2026. There will be an estimated 28,200 positions for PR Specialist per year.

The states with the most job growth for Public Relations Specialists are Texas, New York, and California.

Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Alaska, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Do Public Relations Specialists Make A Lot Of Money?

The average yearly salary of a PR Specialist ranges between $33,690 and $112,310. The median salary is $60,000.

How much do Public Relations Specialists make in each U.S. state?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
District of Columbia	$107,490
Virginia	$78,410
New Jersey	$75,670
New York	$74,000
Connecticut	$73,600
California	$72,910
Washington	$72,510
Maryland	$71,030
Alaska	$70,070
Massachusetts	$68,610
Rhode Island	$67,480
Oregon	$66,800
Colorado	$66,510
Illinois	$66,220
Hawaii	$64,830
North Carolina	$64,450
Idaho	$64,380
Utah	$64,180
Tennessee	$64,170
Ohio	$62,740
Nevada	$62,550
Arizona	$62,500
West Virginia	$62,310
North Dakota	$62,260
Georgia	$62,070
Michigan	$61,760
Minnesota	$61,540
Pennsylvania	$61,510
Wisconsin	$61,060
Florida	$60,920
Texas	$60,600
Arkansas	$60,470
Delaware	$60,390
New Hampshire	$59,970
Missouri	$59,940
Wyoming	$58,430
New Mexico	$58,350
Vermont	$58,200
Maine	$57,510
Iowa	$56,880
Montana	$56,720
Kansas	$56,170
South Carolina	$54,860
Alabama	$53,890
Indiana	$53,870
Louisiana	$53,390
Mississippi	$52,840
Nebraska	$51,300
South Dakota	$51,240
Oklahoma	$51,060
Kentucky	$50,580

Tools & Technologies Used by Public Relations Specialists

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Public Relations Specialists may use on a daily basis:

• LinkedIn
• Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
• Drupal
• SmugMug Flickr
• Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver
• Google Drive
• Cascading Style Sheets CSS
• Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud
• Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
• Microsoft PowerPoint

Where do Public Relations Specialists Work?

Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those interested in being a Public Relations Specialist may also be interested in:

• Self-Enrichment Education Teachers
• First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
• Clergy

Those who work as Public Relations Specialists sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

• Advertising Sales Agents
• Interpreters and Translators

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons