Do You Need a Degree To Become a PR Specialist?

A PR Specialist plays an important role in maintaining relationships between an organization and the press. If you choose to pursue this occupation, you could work as a press secretary for a well-known politician or even for a small non-profit working as a media specialist. No matter what the setting or what your primary role is in PR, your primary goal as a professional will be to generate publicity is a positive light in order to improve the organizations reputation. If you would like to build relationships with bloggers, journalists, and other opinion leadership professionals by being a spokesperson and creating materials, it is important to get the educational experience and the professional experience you need to land a great job. 

Education and Training Prerequisites to Enter the Field

A formal education is generally required to pursue a career as a PR specialist in any environment. The typical employer will require that an entry-level specialist has a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field to be considered for an open position. Some of the majors that you should consider pursuing when you are enrolling in a BA program may include: Business Administration, Public Relations, Journalism, or Communications.

Professional Affiliations That Can Help You In the Field

In addition to earning your Bachelor’s degree, you can also enter professional affiliations to show that you are serious about the field. In Public Relations, you can earn your APR, which means you are accredited in Public Relations. This proves that you are competent with all of the skills that you need to be a valuable asset for any employer that you work for. With your accreditation, which you earn by applying and testing through the Universal Accreditation Board, you can give yourself the accreditation advantage. You must have your degree, experience, and a commitment to the field to become an APR.

Are You A Good Candidate for PR?

If you would like to become a PR specialist for a consulting firm, a major corporation, a finance company, a political organization, an educational institution, or the federal government, you need to know more than just training requirements. You should take the time to learn about who makes the best candidate for PR. You will be working a minimum of 40 hours per week and 4 weeks per month, and you need to be sure that you will enjoy what you do and where you work. If you want to succeed in public relations as a specialist, here are some qualities you need to have:

* Self-confidence
* The ability to demonstrate initiative
* Possess excellent oral, communications, and written skills
* Possess interpersonal skills
* Possess negotiation skills
* Be a skilled negotiator
* Be an experienced researcher and editor

The demand for PR specialists is on the rise, and as demand rises the gap widens. With the field growing by 23 percent by the year 2020, your chances of finding a job immediately after graduating are high. Earn an average salary of $57,550 per year and do your part in creating and maintaining a favorable image in the public eye by earning your degree. Start researching all of the degree programs that are available in your area, and once you enroll in the best program you can work towards becoming a successful PR Specialist.

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