PRO duties

1. Public relations (PR) officer: job description
Public relations officers use a wide range of media to build and sustain good relationships
between the employing organisation and its clients throughplanned publicity campaigns and PR
activities.
The Institute of Public Relations organises an annual careers day (normally held in London
during the autumn), which is a useful source of further information about working in PR.
What does a public relations officer do? Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key
skills
Public relations account executives are responsible for handling all aspects of planned publicity
campaigns and PR activities during periods of crisis.
Other tasks include:
 planning publicity strategies and campaigns
 writing and producing presentations and press releases
 dealing with enquiries from the public, the press, and related organisations
 organising promotional events such as press conferences, open days, exhibitions, tours
and visits
 speaking publicly at interviews, press conferences and presentations
 providing clients with information about new promotional opportunities and current PR
campaigns progress
 analysing media coverage
 commissioning or undertaking relevant market research
 liaising with clients, managerial and journalistic staff about budgets, timescales and
objectives
 designing, writing and/or producing presentations, press releases, articles, leaflets, ‘in-
house' journals, reports, publicity brochures, information for web sites and promotional
videos.
Typical employers of public relations officers
 Advertising or marketing agencies
 Consultancies
 Commercial and industrial organisations
 Private companies
 Retailers
 Manufacturers
 Charities
 Government organisations
Vacancies are advertised by careers services, specialist recruitment agencies and in national
newspapers and trade publications including Press Gazette and PR Week. The Chartered Institute

2. of Public Relations (CIPR) publishes lists of voluntary placements and salaried graduate training
schemes.
The Public Relations Consultants Association Yearbook and Hollis UK Public Relations
Annualcan provide useful contact information for networking and speculative applications, for
which a portfolio of written work may be useful for highlighting relevant abilities. Many
graduates enter the profession at a junior level or move into PR following a marketing,
journalism or advertising career.
Qualifications and training required
A degree in any subject is acceptable, although English, management, business or media studies,
marketing or behavioural sciences may be preferred by some employers. A PR postgraduate
qualification can be helpful, as can work experience gained within the PR, marketing,
fundraising, events promotion, or journalism trades.
Key skills for public relations officers
 excellent communication skills both orally and in writing
 excellent interpersonal skills
 good IT skills
 presentation skills
 initiative
 ability to prioritise and plan effectively
 awareness of different media agendas
 creativity.

3. What Are the Functions of the Public
Relations Officer?
A public relations officer represents an organization or company as the face that the media sees.
Most public relations officers have bachelor's degrees in fields such as journalism, public
relations or communications. A public relations officer must be content working during tedious
days but always ready for a media firestorm following an unexpected crisis.
Crisis Manager
Organizations rely on their public relations officers to handle media inquiries during a crisis. For
example, if someone dies on the job or if a company's new stock offering fails to generate
interest, the public relations officer must have a plan in place for handling media questions and
portraying his organization in the best way possible.
Media Contact
A public relations officer is the media's main contact for news about an organization or
company. The PR officer writes press releases for the media about upcoming events, and
cultivates relationships with members of the local and national media. The PR officer might also
host media conferences when special events happen. For example, an officer might host a press
conference after a university researcher makes a big discovery, or he might hold a press event
honoring the opening of his company's newest office.
Marketing
A public relations officer is also in charge of communicating information about her organization
to the community. Her job involves creating publications that the community or members of her
organization will read, and generating interest in attending company-sponsored events.
Budget and Management
Some public relations officers oversee an entire communications department. These individuals
must also be in charge of their department's budget, making sure hosted events and media
outreach efforts are not too costly. They oversee people who work in their department, which
may include writers, secretaries or graphic artists. They participate in workshops to stay up-to-
date on their field and help their staff succeed.

4. Public relations officer
Public relations (PR) is a distinctive management function which helps establish and maintain
lines of communication between an organisation and its publics. PR uses the editorial space
within print publications, websites, television and radio shows to communicate a brand’s
message. Essentially it is about managing reputation. Career opportunities exist in two areas:
consultancy and in-house.
Public relations consultancies offer advice and services to a wide range of organisations. Most
consultancies offer a wide range of services and areas of expertise, while others may specialise in
a particular area such as consumer PR, corporate PR or public affairs.
Positions can also be found in-house in public, private and non-profit making organisations. In-
house PR officers will be responsible for both internal and external communications and, while
the skills required are the same as those for consultancy, in-house practitioners can and need to
develop an in-depth knowledge of their organisations and its business environment to a level not
possible for an external consultant.
Job description
Work activities
 Writingpromotional materialandpressreleases.
 Producingbrochures,leafletsandvideos.
 Organisingpressbriefingsandnewsconferences.
 Attendingorsettingupexhibitionsandconferences.
 Project-managingproductlaunches.
 Gathering,distributingandfilingall mediacoveragegeneratedforclients.
 Analysingcoverage andtrackingemergingissuesusingdigital trackingon,for example,websites
or blogsof interesttotheirclients.
 Assistingwithpropsorsetsfora photo-shootorassistinginsettingupaneventsuchas a client
meetingora pressbriefing.
Work conditions
Travel: during working day can be frequent.
Working hours: can involve regular unsocial hours.
Location: mainly in towns or cities throughout the country.
Opportunities for self-employment: commonly possible (can be self-employed or work on a
freelance basis).

5. Typical employers
 PR consultancyfirms
 Large corporate organisations
 Charities
 Political parties.
Skills and qualities
 Excellentverbal,writtenandpresentationskills.
 Excellentorganisational,schedulingandplanningskills.
 Abilitytojuggle differentprioritiesandmeetdeadlines.
 Awarenessof currentaffairsanda passionforfindingoutnew information.
 Creativity.
 Self-confidentandsociable–abilitytonetworkeffectively.
 Team player.
 Attentiontodetail.
 Stamina,energyanddrive.
 Abilitytohandle pressure.
 Achievementorientatedandresultsdriven.

6. Write about the duties and qualities of a Public Relations Officer.
Duties and Qualities of Public Relations Officer:
In recent years, the demand for public relations officer in both private and public sectors has
gone up considerably. It can be a very interesting career option where one can get exposure to
press conferences, organizing events, communication budgeting, reputation management, etc. If
you want to find your niche in the dynamic domain of PR, read on to understand the
responsibilities and required skill sets of this field.
According to the Institute of Public Relations, USA, “Public Relations is a deliberate, planned
and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and
its public.” A public relations officer (PRO), also known as ‘Media Specialist,’ is the
spokesperson of an organization. His or her role is to convey the policies and interests of the
organization to the public through various modes of media. For an organization, ‘public’ refers to
the existing customers, potential customers, shareholders, financiers, media, government bodies,
employees, etc. The need for a PRO can be found in almost all sectors, including private
companies, advertising agencies, financial organizations, government agencies, charities, etc.
As a PRO has to be dedicated 24/7 to protect the interest of a company, it can be a very
demanding job. However, it is also a lucrative and interesting means of making a career. If you
are ready to take up the challenge, here are a few points that will help you in understanding the
public relations officer’s job better.
Reputation Management:
The prime function of a public relations officer is to create, maintain and enhance the reputation
of an organization. It is the responsibility of the PRO to promote the people, products, services or
solutions of the establishment he works for.
Goodwill Creation:
A seasoned PRO should not only manage and maintain reputation, but should also continuously
work towards creating and ameliorating the goodwill of the organization. This will help in
creating a favorable public image of the organization by strengthening its credibility.
Crisis Management:
One of the most crucial and difficult duties of a public relations person is crisis management.
Mostly, the need for such communication arises when the stock position of the company is not
favorable, mitigation of losses is required, during a takeover situation, the organization decides
to dissolve a joint venture, there is a change in the senior management, etc. At times, there may
be a conflict of interest between the public and the company because of some issues related to its
policies or product. A PRO should be capable enough to deal with such problems, without
causing damage to the reputation of the company.

7. PR Strategies and Campaigns:
A PRO should constantly look out for opportunities to present the organization in a positive
light. He needs to come up with different PR strategies that will lead to easy acceptance and
appreciation of any new move by the organization. When a company has to launch a new
product, announce a new scheme, enter a new MOU or JV etc.; it is the job of the PR official to
make arrangements to promote a new corporate move. He has to plan promotional strategies,
keeping the target audience and desired result in mind.
Press Conference:
Whenever an important decision of the organization is to be made public, the PRO must arrange
a press conference. He has to invite the press beforehand, make arrangements at the venue,
manage catering, audio-visual facilities, stage set-up, ambiance etc. Also, he has to prepare a
press kit for the journalists, which includes a press release, providing details of the
announcement. After the press conference, he has to request the press to ask their questions. He
should be very careful and clever in answering their queries.
Preparing Media Plan:
A PRO must prepare an event-wise media plan, detailing and shortlisting the journalists from
publications and electronic media for gaining substantial visibility. Other media platforms like
advertising, bill boards, social media, etc. are also to be considered. This is an important decision
to be taken by the PRO as the quality and quantity of publicity mileage can be entirely based on
the media plan.
Coordinating Interviews:
Most of the senior management professionals of an organization give interviews to newspapers,
magazines, websites and television channels. The PRO of the company will have to coordinate
the communication between the senior management and the journalists. To decide and discuss
where the interview is to be conducted, the briefing points, the probable list of questions, etc.
before the interview rest on his shoulders.
Communication Budget:
It is important that a separate budget is set aside at the beginning of every financial year for
various public relations activities. The PRO has to prepare a communication plan at the
beginning of the year, giving details of the activities along with the budget allotted to them
individually. Contingency plan for emergency communication should also be done in the budget.
Cordial Relations:
A PRO needs to take special efforts in maintaining cordial relations with the clients, potential
clients, media persons, top management of the company, employees, etc. He should have
knowledge about every single news regarding the organization.

8. Excellent Communication:
It is necessary for a PR officer to have excellent oral and written communication skills. He must
be well versed in corporate jargon as he has to draft speeches for the senior management, and
might have to address the press himself. Apart from this, he has to prepare publicity brochures,
press releases, newsletters for employees, handouts, company magazines, etc.
Effective Marketing:
The PRO should have sound sales and marketing skills that will help in effective promotion of
the products and services. Besides, it also helps if he is a creative person and is able to come up
with new and innovative ideas to attract the public. He may have to plan mass media films and
videos to promote or enhance the sales of a particular product. He may even have to assist in
market research.
Internal Communications:
He has to work closely with the internal communications team, for devising a objective bound
communication for employees located at one or several locations. He has to play an instrumental
role in communicating a single message throughout the organization. This can also impact the
employee engagement effectively.
Media Coverage: His job not only involves getting media coverage, but also includes following
its tone and nature. He should also evaluate and analyze the coverage to understand the impact of
the communication.
Communicating with Senior Management:
Other duties of the PRO include keeping the senior management abreast about the moves made
by competitors.
He has to be aware about the cutting edge competition and should have up-to-date information
on the prevalent market conditions.
Answering Queries:
Media people often raise queries about the decisions and working of the organization. It is the
duty of the PRO to answer them diplomatically without divulging unnecessary details.
Corporate Identity:
Every organization has its own set of corporate brand identity. The PRO has to check whether
the logo and branding of the company in advertisements, newsletters, brochures, etc. are in
accordance with the company’s interests. The placement, size, color and other details pertaining
to the corporate identity are to be verified before a public event.

9. Translating Content:
Sometimes the content on the website, press releases, press notes, brochures, leaflets, etc. needs
to be in different languages for easy readability and comprehension of people in a particular
country. It is the duty of the PRO to get the content translated from an agency and verify it
before communicating the same.
Maintaining Archives:
As a part of the responsibilities of a PRO, he has to maintain an event-wise docket of all the
press coverage in both print and electronic media. Also, maintenance of proper documentation
and archives is expected from him.
CSR Activities:
Organizations across the world are increasingly waking up to the idea of environmental
sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). It is expected from the PRO to give an
impetus to such activities and provide them good publicity by utilizing various platforms of
communication.
Anthropology and Psychology:
Along with knowledge of the media, sales and marketing, it is also important for the PR official
to know something about the anthropology and psychology. This will help him in understanding
and planning different kind of strategies that would work for varied group of people.
Other Functions:
A PRO has to conduct events, exhibitions, road shows, parties, facility tours, delegation meets,
conferences and undertake sponsorships or allied activities that the firm supports in order to gain
public attention. It is his responsibility to get the website and social networking pages of the
organization updated from time to time.
Qualities and Skill Sets of a PRO
 Professional approach
 Networking skills
 Interpersonal skills
 Written and oral communication skills
 Analytical skills
 Emotional intelligence
 Innovating and troubleshooting skills
 Organization and management skills
 Leadership qualities
 Creativity
 Storytelling traits

10.  Curiosity
 Knowledge of current affairs
 Result oriented
 Self-disciplined
 Tech-savvy
 Competitive
 Constructive thinker
As Alan Harrington has rightly quoted, “Public relations specialists make flower arrangements of
the facts, placing them so that the wilted and less attractive petals are hidden by sturdy blooms.”
Therefore, it would not be wrong to say that the job of a public relations officer entails great
responsibility. To become eligible for a PR job, one has to do a course in public relations, but
this is not always necessary. A person with a graduate degree in communications, journalism,
advertising, etc. is equally qualified to become a public relations officer. Actually more than the
qualification, it is the skill that matters, to be successful in this field. A PRO is a person who has
the duty to uphold the prestige of the company or organization he works for. Hence, it is better to
gain a sound launch pad where one will get excellent hands on experience.