Public Relations Officer Qualification and Job Description

Public Relations (PR) is an important aspect in every company as it functions as a way to communicate with the public. Therefore, every company looks for a good public relations officer.  

A PR officer is responsible for the public facing communication of a company. One PR officer may be enough for a small company. But a medium-sized company needs a PR team that includes many PR officers.  

PR officers may also work independently for a public relations firm or for clients on a contract basis. 

Public Relations Officer Qualification  

To become a public relations officer, you must fulfill the following qualification: 

1. Education 

Most companies look for PR officers with a bachelor's degree in public relations or journalism. Other than that, the following degrees can be helpful for those who want to become PR officers: 

- Communication and media studies,

- Marketing,

- Business Administration, 

- Creative Writing,

- Social Sciences,

- Politics.  

2. Skills 

Here are some key skills that a PR officer must master: 

a. Communication

PR officers must be able to communicate with the public and the media to present and develop a positive image for their companies. They must also communicate with internal parties such as team members and other departments to clearly communicate their goals.

They may communicate directly or through written documents such as emails, social media posts, and press releases. Therefore, public relations professionals must be able to communicate both verbally and nonverbally.  

b. Marketing 

The PR team must work with the marketing team. They have to build the strategy together as they are related to each other. 

The marketing team needs PR activities to get more leads and eventually reach their KPIs. Meanwhile, the PR team needs products, services, and other details to properly communicate the value of the brand to the public.     

Sometimes, PR officers also need to monitor the brand's marketing activities to make sure they are creating a positive public impression. They can also make suggestions if necessary.    

c. Media Relations 

PR officers need to build and maintain good and healthy relationships with the media and journalists. A good professional relationship will help the PR team to easily share information and publish anything.  

d. Problem Solving  

Truth be told, PR officers may encounter many unpredictable problems with internal and external parties. Not to mention, negative issues may befall the company that require a quick solution and PR action to maintain public trust.  

e. Detail-oriented

It is common for PR officers to manage and complete several things at the same time. They have to make sure that every aspect is correct, starting from administration, research, analysis, evaluation to monitoring public perception. Therefore, every PR officer must be detail-oriented. 

f. Writing

Public relations is related to writing, both creative and non-creative. PR officers will definitely write a press release at least once, which requires creative writing skills. 

Apart from that, PR officers need to send clear and comprehensive emails to related parties such as media partners or even the government. Therefore, PR officers need to master the writing skill.    

3. Experience 

You can start your PR career with an entry-level position and minimal experience, such as interning at a media outlet while in college. Alternatively, you can join a wedding planner or event organizer to build your skills and relationships.  

After graduation, you can apply for a PR position in any type of company. A PR officer usually works Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, but this can vary depending on the company. 

PR Officer Job Description 

A PR Officer job description may vary in each company. But this is a general PR Officer job description for your reference: 

- Build good and strong relationships with colleagues, clients, and media partners. 

- Researching, writing and distributing press releases. 

- Monitor and analyze media coverage. 

- Write and edit internal speeches, guides, and annual reports.

- Oversee the production of PR elements such as: social media posts, brochures, infographics, articles on company or client websites, etc. 

- Maintain and update information on the company's website and social media. 

- Organize PR events. 

- Take quick steps to manage the crisis. 

- Prepare regular reports for the company or client. 

Final Words  

Though the task and working system can vary, one thing is for sure, a public relations officer interacts with the public and media partners on behalf of the one who hires them.