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The
good news is public relations job
openings are expected to increase
faster than other industry
averages through 2008. The bad
news is the number of PR aspirants
entering the field is growing
faster than the new job openings.
This
makes for some stiff competition
ahead for those trying to break in
to the PR profession.
Furthermore,
as communications become ever more
specialized in both content and
media outlets, PR professionals
will have to bring ever more
skills to the employment table. No
longer will a journalism degree
and a few news clips impress too
many employers.
Along
with a glut of PR applicants, the
economic pressures to raise pay
levels for entry-level public
relations employees will be
minimal.
While
fresh engineering graduates may
land a six-figured salary soon
after graduation, most PR
professionals will have to work
many years before they reach that
realm, if ever.
Salaried
PR workers can also expect to work
long (and often unpaid) extra
hours, travel frequently, and be
prepared for late-night and
weekend duty in the middle of a
crisis or during special
organization events.
And,
of course, there's always the
instance where you might have to
bite your tongue and broadcast the
company line, in spite of your own
personal distaste on a topic.
Fortunately,
there are many means and plenty of
professional support to minimize
the worst of it and maximize the
best aspects of a future in public
relations. We'll visit some of
those in the next two sections
ahead.
Next page > What
you need to move ahead in PR
> Page 1,
2, 3, 4
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