Here's how you can navigate the various career paths in Public Relations.

Understanding the fundamentals of PR is essential for any career path in the field. Starting as an intern or entry-level PR assistant provides valuable exposure to media relations, writing press releases, and event coordination. My journey began with internships at PR agencies, where I learned the ropes and gained hands-on experience in crafting compelling pitches and building media lists.

In public relations, good writing is indispensable. A degree in English or Journalism can help take you down the path to good writing, but it's not a prerequisite for becoming a good writer. What matters is the relentless pursuit of honing your writing skills by learning what good writing is and by practice, practice, practice. Why? Good writing is useful as more than a basic PR tool like writing press releases, but for preparing strategy documents, client communications, weekly/monthly reports and internal communications. You must be able to take your thoughts and put them down on paper in a clear and concise manner. Good writing is a skill that’s transferrable to every part of your professional career and personal life.

Take an intern or trainee position with a firm that is important enough and has the learning facilities to give you the breadth and professional scope necessary for clients to entrust you with their most important communications - PR.

In the art of public relations, every message is a brushstroke and every interaction a color; together, they paint the public image of an organization.

Unlocking the maze of career options in Public Relations involves mastering PR basics. Whether you're eyeing media relations, crisis management, or content creation, grasp the fundamentals like effective communication, strategic planning, and relationship building. Understanding these pillars will not only pave your path but also ensure longevity and success in the dynamic world of PR.

Working in a PR agency offers a fast-paced and dynamic environment where you manage multiple clients and projects simultaneously. Working in an agency, I honed my skills in client communication, campaign strategy, and crisis management. Collaborating with diverse teams and navigating tight deadlines taught me adaptability and resilience, crucial qualities for success in the industry.

I would highly recommend everyone work at a PR agency in their career as a public relations professional. It's a crash course in media practices, time management, prioritization, and many other skills that can sometimes be hard to gain in-house. You also are exposed to so many types of brands and as a result you can build a much wider network of media contacts as you're constantly in contact for various client needs.

I had the pleasure of working both in-house and agency. What I felt was the biggest learning of in-house was understanding how/where PR sits in the ecosystem of a broader business. It's important but it's not often the #1 priority. You quickly learn what's worth your "client's" time and what's not as there's bigger fish to fry some days. Additionally, you get a lot more exposure to marketing than you would in a PR agency. You see how the full system works and learn new skills that help expand your thinking, approach, and expertise in PR. Finally, always really lovely to focus fully on one brand. Gives you a chance to really dive deep and become an expert, deeply connecting with internal stakeholders, specific media, and more.

Transitioning to an in-house PR role provides an opportunity to focus on a single brand or organization. In my experience, working in-house allows to immerse yourself in the company culture and align PR strategies closely with business objectives. Building strong relationships with internal stakeholders and serving as a brand ambassador are key aspects, contributing to the company's overall reputation and success.

Working for an elected official demands balancing the priorities of constituents, donors, and political parties, while making sure the boss looks good. When I was working for a congressman during a vote on a funding package, we had to communicate to the constituents that for the programs they wanted funded to receive money, other programs they were less keen on also had to receive funding. This required our comms team to thoughtfully address the concerns of the constituents, relay the understanding of their priorities, and explain the congressman was advocating for them by ensuring their desired programs were funded. Experiences like these are common in government and prepare PR professionals for difficult situations.

Nonprofit PR requires people to be more flexible with their skills and approach. Frequently, the job description requires the PR person to wear many hats. There is a bit more independence with nonprofit PR and being a true self-starter is key. Much of my freelance work has been with nonprofit organizations in various industries like social justice, human rights, arts, culture, and science. Every project was different and I had to make sure I had a grasp of things like social media monitoring, and content, along with traditional PR practices like press releases, media relations, etc. It can be tough and overwhelming but I've had a chance to grow my skills and become highly adaptable. I had the freedom to make the position my own.

Modern PR is taking over now! In fact both traditional & digital PR has significant differences. It the word of mouth & brand value that gives importance to traditional PR, whereas digital PR gives a scope of expanding your brand presence as per your target audience and a quick ripple into the market in the nick of the time , if your organization is in limelight or any of the instances gave gone viral as per relevance!

For me, this is the ultimate discipline of modern PR. Unfortunately, it is often quite underestimated. However, in no other field do you have to master such a wide range of tasks. And that requires broad skills. In my experience, the best way is to study as many digital media as possible as a user and learn how the successful ones do it. And there is now a wealth of AI tools that make your life easier.

There are so many paths within this career. You can find a different path or take a different route if you don’t find your place in your first (or second) job

A curious mind, eagerness to learn and interest in the world all go a long way when you’re starting out . As does actually reading, watching, listening and consuming media in whatever form.

Seek out cross-functional opportunities within organizations. For example, I transitioned from a traditional PR role to a hybrid position that involved both internal communications and digital PR. This not only broadened my skill set but also opened up new career paths within the field. Additionally, explore niche areas of interest within PR, such as crisis management or influencer relations, to further specialize and distinguish yourself in the industry. So, while the foundational knowledge is crucial, embracing versatility and seeking out specialized opportunities can help you navigate the varied landscape of PR careers.

The most important thing is to talk to people, visit colleagues, build relationships - never just sit at your desk and wait for the next story. In order to be able to tell exciting stories and, for example, provide the press with information that really interests them, journalists have to "go hunting" within their own company.

Not being afraid to pick up the phone and establish relationships rather than just relying on email or social media engagement with people in the media would be my top tip. That way you get to know what’s on a person’s radar/interests/challenges/timeframes when looking to pitch a story. Little beats human interaction..