Public relations account executive
Public relations (PR) is the management of information between an organisation and its public. PR account executives gain exposure for an organisation or individual with their intended audiences through news items, without advertising. A PR account executive works within a wider team and aims to influence public opinion or behaviour, on behalf of organisations. By generating positive news coverage, achieving product placement without payment in broadcast, print and new media, and placing spokespeople as commentators, a PR account executive works to proactively promote the profile of their clients. They liaise on a daily basis with the client to update and report on the success of the publicity.
The work of a public relations (PR) account executive is likely to vary from day to day, depending on the area of PR being specialised in and the portfolio each executive deals with. PR agencies often specialise in specific industry sectors, such as consumer, business-to-business (B2B), financial and healthcare. The pace of work and the depth of detail needed may vary depending on the type of media being targeted and the deadlines it demands. Tasks typically involve:
Work conditions vary within areas of public relations (PR). For example, financial, and business to business (B2B) PR often pays higher salaries than beauty or fashion PR. Some agencies have a much more ingrained long-hours culture than others.
Some institutions offer degree courses specific to public relations (PR) and these can be helpful in providing the skills that employers rate highly for this field. Studying a specific PR course is by no means essential for entry into job roles but can demonstrate an interest in the industry.
Employers usually require candidates to have a degree and tend to judge them on their skills and attributes. Although entry to the profession is generally open to all graduates/Diplomates, the following degree/HND subjects may improve your chances:
Many agencies are open to graduates with a vast range of degrees. Specialist agencies, for example, ethical healthcare, may prefer a relevant scientific degree. A postgraduate qualification may improve your chances of securing a PR position.
Relevant pre-entry work experience is useful and can include vacation work, work placements, shadowing or volunteering. Careers services often have details of placements available, but you may need to contact PR agencies directly. Details of work placements and other industry information are available through the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) , which students can join at a reduced rate. Membership also provides opportunities to network with employers. Candidates should also consider PR experience they can gain while undertaking extracurricular activities, for example promoting a club night or writing a press release for the local media about the success of the sports team they belong to.
Candidates need to show evidence of the following:
As PR is becoming increasingly competitive, now ranking as one of the top three most popular career choices for graduates in the UK, there are relatively few trainee account executive posts. Some of the larger, established consultancies may offer such opportunities, but this depends on the economic climate.
Read job adverts in the trade press and request vacancy details to help you get a feel for the combination of skills and industry knowledge that a PR account executive needs. Consider related jobs (e.g. journalism, marketing) for work experience, as employers often find the skills and experience gained in these roles transferable to PR. The CIPR organises a regional careers day each year for those interested in PR.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Training varies depending on the consultancy/organisation. Some larger firms have structured initial training and ongoing professional development courses. These often focus on media relations, writing practice and consultancy skills, and larger agencies will occasionally bring in outside trainers to teach the graduates as a group. The majority of training, however, is on the job, working with more experienced colleagues on a number of accounts. Some smaller agencies may not offer a structured training programme but may give more access to senior members of staff for advice, and provide exposure to a more varied workload than a larger agency.
A variety of short, external courses are available, specifically designed for public relations (PR) professionals. The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is one provider of these. Many organisations actively encourage their employees undertake such courses as part of their continuous professional development (CPD). The Henshall Centre also offers a range of training courses, specifically tailored for PR professionals, as does the London School of Public Relations (LSPR) . Some of these are evening courses of several weeks duration or shorter, intensive day courses.
Some organisations encourage employees to study towards the more formal qualifications offered by the CIPR and may offer financial support, provide study leave, or both. CIPR qualifications, which usually take one year to complete, include the Advanced Certificate in Public Relations, aimed at graduates or junior PR professionals and the Diploma in Public Relations, which is targeted towards more experienced PR professionals.
Most new graduates begin their public relations (PR) career as a trainee account executive or assistant account executive. Promotion to account executive takes place after three months to a year and depends on the amount of experience a candidate has prior to starting the role, as well as the flair they show for the job. Depending on the client and size of the consultancy, PR executives may play a key strategic role on accounts very quickly and are often able to take on varied responsible tasks from the start.
A good PR account executive may expect to be promoted to senior account executive or account manager in two to three years. As account executives gain more experience they are often asked to take on more responsibility, such as taking part in new business pitches or being a key contact for clients on some smaller accounts. After a further three to four years at this level, many PR professionals often have enough experience to seek promotion to account director, where they have responsibility for higher profile clients and all staff working on the account teams, including account managers. The next step is generally to PR director, taking responsibility for all client accounts and PR staff, but taking less of a role in the day-to-day activity. Within ten years, talented PR practitioners may expect to be asked to sit at board level and in some instances will have the drive, contacts and ability to set up their own agency.
Career progression is generally the individual's own responsibility, with consultancies rewarding those who show professional ability, initiative and commitment. Some PR professionals may find it advantageous to move consultancy/organisation to obtain a more rapid career progression. Professional qualifications may also assist with career development and can be gained through the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) .
The majority of positions are found in public relations (PR) consultancies, which provide independent services to their clients. Consultancies vary in size from three or four people to hundreds of staff members, although larger consultancies are often split into specialist divisions. Consultancies specialise in either one industry sector or cover several, for example: business-to-business (B2B), consumer, charity, fashion, financial, government and public affairs, or technology.
As PR is a key element of the marketing mix, some of the larger full-service marketing consultancies have a department dedicated to PR (just as they may have a design and/or advertising department). Opportunities for PR professionals exist in full-service marketing agencies, requiring account executives to work closely with other departments to deliver integrated marketing campaigns to their clients, as well as developing their knowledge of other elements of marketing.
Opportunities also exist within in-house PR departments, working exclusively for that particular organisation. In-house PR professionals may deal with the entire organisation's PR and communication matters or work in tandem with PR consultancies on certain projects. In-house positions often require previous experience in PR or might involve a graduate position that spans different parts of the marketing mix.
There are specialist recruitment agencies that handle vacancies but these are invariably for experienced candidates. See Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) for a list of recruitment agencies dealing with PR.
The Hollis UK Public Relations Annual is a useful source for listings of companies and consultancies for speculative applications.
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