What Are Entry Level Jobs for a Public Relations Career?

<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutPublicRelationsSpecialists">Important Facts About Public Relations Specialists</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><th> </th><th>Public Relations Specialist </th><th> Research Analyst or Associate</th></tr> <tr><td>On-the-Job Training</td><td> None </td><td> Typically required</td></tr> <tr><td>Key Skills</td><td> Interpersonal, organizational, speaking and writing skills</td><td>Active listening, reading comprehension, critical thinking and problem solving skills</td></tr> <tr><td>Similar Occupations</td><td> Advertising and marketing managers, editors, event planners </td><td>Market research analysts, statistical assistants</td></tr> <tr><td>Work Environment</td><td> In addition to PR firms, these professionals often work in civic organizations or educational institutions </td><td>Research and development services, schools, government, consulting services</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---PublicRelationsIntern">Public Relations Intern</h3><p>While internships are not always paid positions, being an intern is a common entry point for careers in public relations. Depending on the company or organization, interns have a variety of job duties. Monitoring TV and print media coverage of the company, organization or agency clients is a common task delegated to PR interns, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), <i>www.bls.gov</i>. Other duties include writing and distributing press releases, chaperoning visitors on tours of the facilities, answering phones and directing media inquiries to the appropriate account manager. </p><p><i>PayScale.com</i> reported that most paid PR interns earned between $29,000 and $44,000 annually as of July, 2022. The median annual wage was $40,000, while the median hourly pay was $14.51 an hour. </p><h3 id="section---PublicRelationsSpecialist">Public Relations Specialist</h3><p>Although some news release preparation is given to interns in PR offices that have them, the bulk of the press release writing is the task of the PR specialist. These professionals may also organize events or lectures by high-profile speakers to draw media attention to the organization, according to BLS. The BLS notes that a bachelor's degree is usually required for this career. In addition to working in an office, a PR specialist may have to travel. </p><p>According to the BLS, there will be 8% job growth for PR specialists over the 2021-2031 decade. In addition, graduates will experience a lot of competition. In May 2021, the BLS reported an average wage of $73,250 for all public relations specialists, with most working in the advertising, public relations and related services industry and earning $83,200 on average. </p><h3 id="section---ResearchAnalystOrAssociate">Research Analyst or Associate</h3><p>PR careers in politics often begin with volunteer work on a campaign. Entry-level positions within the political arena are research analysts, issue analysts and research associates, says the career services office of Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. The duties of each job title are similar: gathering relevant data and making it useful to the senior PR officers and acting as spokespeople for a campaign or lobby group. </p><p>O*Net OnLine groups research analysts and research associates with social science research assistants (<i>www.onetonline.org</i>). The BLS reports that these professionals will experience a faster-than-average job growth from 2021 through 2031 and that an associate's degree is usually needed for entry-level jobs. The average wage for social science research assistants was $56,430 in May 2021, with most making salaries between $31,240 and $79,140. Industry-specific average wages included $54,430 for social advocacy organizations, $51,120 for local government and $55,280 for higher education institutions.</p>