Public relations officer : Career development

Public relations (PR) is a buoyant industry, which is expanding and offering good career development opportunities. However, competition for jobs at all levels is strong.

PR departments and consultancies do not always adhere to traditional patterns of career progression, but for employees who demonstrate outstanding ability, promotion can be very rapid. New graduates could expect to work as a PR assistant or junior account executive for one or two years before gaining promotion to PR officer or account executive.

Further progression to management-level posts is likely to take a further two to three years and depends heavily upon personal aptitude, performance and motivation. A willingness to move between employers or geographical areas may be necessary in order to broaden your experience or move into a more specialist role. Consultancy can offer broad experience before specialising. It is possible to move between in-house and consultancy roles.

Professional qualifications may also assist with career development and can be gained through the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) .

As there is little standardisation of PR job titles, professional titles may vary depending on the agency or organisation.

Self-employment may also be an option for those wishing to operate as freelance consultants or set up their own PR firms.