Lydia
Is public relations a good major for college? I love people and planning and I feel like it's an all around good thing to study.
All my friends are doing it so I'm conflicted. #general #public-relations #career #college
4 answers
Robert (Rob) Morton
Robert (Rob)’s Answer
Lydia,
I've spent more than 20 years in a PR career and have enjoyed most of it, so I'll never bash the field and would never discourage someone from pursing a career in PR.
At the same time, PR encompasses so much more than "people and planning" and I'm afraid that too many young people have an image of the industry that comes from TV and movies that isn't always indicitive of the broader industry.
Some things to think about:
Do you like writing? A lot of PR work on a daily basis is about writing. You'll write press releases. You'll write content for social media platforms. You'll write plans. You'll write articles... I think you get the point. It's a lot of writing.
Can you handle rejection? PR is a lot like sales. Reporters will tell you "no" all the time. Or they won't even respond. Or your client won't like the release you wrote or the plan you submitted. It doesn't mean the work wasn't good. It just means that you need to go back to the drawing board. Being able to take negative feedback in stride and keep plugging away is crucial.
Are you flexible? Can you go with the flow... or are you more of a rigid personality type? Practicing PR requires someone who can be fluid and adapt to rapidly changing situations without getting flustered.
The last thing to think about is that studying PR does provide a lot of skills that can be applied to other fields. You'll learn critical thinking. You'll learn to be a better writer. You'll learn to be a better storyteller. Etc., Etc., Etc. So, if you think it's a potentially good major for you, I'd say go for it. You'll be able to take those skills to a lot of different places even if you don't end up in a career in PR.
Sherry Shim
Sherry’s Answer
Public Relations specialists work to create a positive image for their clients. These clients include celebrities, brands, and organizations, among many more. In order to shape this reputation, specialists must be strong, creative writers and have the interpersonal skills to develop relationships with the media and those who will share information and spread the name of the client. Students will take classes in image management, media campaigns, newswriting, broadcast media, videography, and speech writing along with businesses classes to acquire these necessary skills.
Schools offer the option to major in either general Public Relations or Advertising or you may decide to specialize in a certain area. Some areas of specialization include Organizational Communication, Public Relations/Image Management, Political Communication, Health Communication, Sports Communication, International and Intercultural Communication, and Technical and Scientific Communication.
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dong’s Answer
Barb Gam Tagge
Barb’s Answer
I'd love to answer your question. Think about what your skills. You mention planning. Do you like to write? Stage events? Engage in social media? There is a lot to public relations. You may want to go online and look up the course descriptions for some of the PR degrees at various universities. They won't all be the same. If the kinds of subjects and skills they focus on are a good match for your interest and abilities -- then, yup, PR is the right choice for you. If the kinds of subjects they focus on don't interest you, then you may want to look at another major or focus on another field of communications.
Communications is a BIG field, and PR is just one of the many majors you can pursue. Check out your options and find a good fit. Also, remember that you can always change your mind if you start a course of study and realize that something else is meant for you.
Good luck follow your dreams!
Barb