Public Relations (PR)

Overview

It is not necessary to have a degree in a specific subject to begin a career in public relations (PR) - entry is open to all graduates.  PR is a discipline that looks after "reputation" and, as such, is a vital function of an organisation.  PR practitioners work across a wide range of inductries (public and private) and can work in-house for a company or as part of a consultancy.

You can find an overview of Advertising, Marketing and PR on the Prospects website.

Example roles

Example employers

PR Week annually publishes the Top 150 PR consultancies.  You can read the full list by coming into the Careers Centre. 

The Top 20 for 2012 are listed below:

• Bell Pottinger Group 
• Brunswick
• Weber Shandwick
• Edelmam
• FTI Consulting
• Freud Communications
• Hill & Knowlton
• RLM Finsbury
• Grayling Communications
• MSL Group
• Ketchum Pleon
• College Hill
• MHP Communications
• Citigate Dewe Rogerson
• Ogilvy Group
• Fleishman-Hillard
• Fishburn Hedges
• The Red Consultancy
• Tonic Life Communications
• Chandler Chicco Companies

Examples of some consultancies within the North East are:

• Admiral PR
• Bergmans
• Gardiner Richardson
• Golley Slater (PR & Marketing)
• MDA
• Unique Thinking

You can also access an online directory from the Hollis PR website to search for PR Agencies, PR Networks, Clients, PR Services and a PR Industry Body. You can use this to find details of organisations to research further or to target with speculative applications.   

Professional bodies

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) website contains careers advice for people who are considering a career in PR.  This information is only available to members of the CIPR, however.  If you are serious about a career in PR then you may wish to consider subscribing and becoming a student member.   For this you would get:

• skills guides on essential areas of PR practice
• best practice case studies of PR in action
• research and reports on key communications trends and issues
• work placement finder to help you get practical experience
• networking opportunities to help you build you contacts
• opportunities to get involved with your local CIPR group
• free subscription to PRWeek.

The Public Relations Consultants Association website contains a useful section on what is PR?  You will also find an up to date list of members, a job search section and news articles from the PRCA, which could help you to stay up to date with developments in the industry and discover key contacts. 

Sources of vacancies

The Careers Centre subscribes to both PR Week (Durham City campus) and Campaign (Durham and Queen's campuses) .  These are published weekly and contain up to date news on the sector as well as details of job vacancies.

Online, you can also make use of:

• The PR Week website
• The Campaign website
• Brand Republic
• Public Relations Links
• Guardian Jobs

Postgraduate courses

It is not essential to complete postgraduate study in order to start a career within PR.  This is a very popular industry for graduates, however, so you may wish to consider doing a related course if you feel that there are certain skills that you need to develop.  Take a look at the details of specific courses (perhaps via a search of the Prospects website) and consider what you would gain from doing it.  You could discuss this with a careers adviser during an appointment if you are unsure. 

The CIPR provides PR qualifications at a variety of levels and also officially recognises certain undergraduate and postgraduate courses.  You can carry out a search for these via their website.