Public relations officer
Public relations (PR) officers manage the public image and reputation of organisations and individuals.
Also known as: PR officer, PR executive, communications officer, press officer
- Starter salary£22,000 a year
- Experienced£40,000 a year
- Typical hours38 to 40 a week
What you'll do
As a public relations officer, you could:
- plan and deliver PR campaigns for clients
- monitor data to understand the public and media's opinion of your clients
- attend events like photoshoots, conferences and press launches
- develop good connections with the media to promote your clients
- write and edit press releases, social media posts, policy statements and speeches
Working environment
You could work in an office or at a client's business.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of media production and communication
- knowledge of English language
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- excellent verbal communication skills
- persistence and determination
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- the ability to use your initiative
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a public relations officer
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- specialist courses run by a professional body
University
You can get into public relations (PR) with a degree in most subjects.
You could also do a degree or postgraduate course related to public relations. The Chartered Institute of Public Relations has a list of recognised university courses .
Courses include:
- public relations
- public relations and media
- marketing and PR
- PR and corporate communications
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
- a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
College
You could do a college course, which might give you an advantage when looking for a trainee public relations role.
Courses include:
- English
- marketing
- creative and digital media - social media option
- T Level in Marketing
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
Apprenticeship
You could work towards this role by doing a Public Relations and Communications Assistant Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.
This takes a minimum of one year to complete.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Volunteering
You'll find it useful to get paid or unpaid experience of working in public relations. You could:
- contact PR departments and consultancies for work experience
- volunteer to promote local charities
- write for student magazines, blogs and social media
- work on student or volunteer radio services
Other routes
You could study for professional qualifications through the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.
These can be done online or at a training centre. Courses include:
- Foundation Certificate for beginners
- Professional PR Certificate, if you're a graduate or have at least 2 years of PR experience
Career path and progression
With experience you could:
- become a PR manager, social media manager or head of communications
- work freelance as a consultant
- move into advertising, marketing or journalism
If you work for an agency, you could become a senior account executive or account manager with responsibility for a number of clients.
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleSocial media manager
- Job roleAdvertising media planner
- Job roleAdvertising copywriter
- Job roleMarketing manager
- Job roleMarketing executive
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0