At its most elementary, public relations is about managing the information that flows to the public about a person, organization or another entity. However, within that definition, there is an enormous variance in different types of public relations careers. Below are a few of the major areas in which people in public relations work.
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Politics
Politicians hire PR professionals to manage their reputations and create a positive image for them. PR professionals may end up running politicians’ campaigns. PR professionals also work to shape the public’s perception of various issues that are important to the politician or agency that they work for. A PR professional who works in political advocacy might work for a small nonprofit that is attempting to get science-backed studies out to the general public.
Business and Industry
Some tasks taken on by PR professionals working in business and industry may overlap with political advocacy as well. For example, if a nonprofit is pushing a study saying that a certain food is unhealthy, PR professionals working in that industry might attempt to counter that study. Other jobs of PR professionals in business and industry could deal with reputation management or with simply getting information out about a new product. For example, the PR person for a startup might write press releases about a new app the company is rolling out.
Entertainment
Many people may associate PR with the entertainment industry, and this is certainly a field with plenty of opportunities for PR professionals whether it involves promoting a particular celebrity, a film, a book, or a recording artist. PR professionals in entertainment may write press releases they submit to journalists about their clients and may attempt to get them spots on television or raise their profiles in other ways.
Crisis Communications
Crisis communications is a public relations specialty that may fall under the umbrella of any of the above sectors or indeed any sector, but those who work in this field specialize in communicating during a crisis. Often, this involves protecting or repairing the reputation of a person or organization. With the rise of the internet, the focus of crisis management has shifted because what would once have been a small, easily managed incident can now spread very quickly. Examples of situations a crisis management PR professional might step in to manage could include a negative story about a celebrity that threatens the celebrity’s career or a major error on the part of a company.
Forbes points out that public relations is about shaping a positive image of a person or entity for the public. PR professionals may work independently or they might work for a large company. For example, publishers have a public relations division although authors might also hire an independent public relations professional to promote their latest books. Another critical element of a successful PR career is building relationships with journalists and with organizations associated with the sector in which the professional works. Public relations is a dynamic, engaging and versatile career choice.