Is Public Relations the Right Major for You?

With the boom of social media and cancel culture, PR has almost turned into a buzzword thrown around at the first sign of scandal. What do PR professionals actually do? Do they spend their days cleaning up other people’s messes? Do they send out freebies to Instagram influencers? Do they plan elaborate events with the perfect photo ops? Before I tell you what you can do with a career in PR, let me tell you a little bit about what PR specialists actually do.

Let’s start with what public relations actually is.

The Public Relations Society of America provides this great definition which encompasses the elements of engagement and relationship building that go into the practice of public relations. At its core, public relations is about influencing, engaging and building a relationship with key stakeholders across numerous platforms in order to shape and frame the public perception of an organization. Gone are the days of simple press agentry and publicity. Now PR includes interpreting public opinion, counseling management, crisis communications, protecting the reputation of your company, overseeing content creation and more. No matter your skill set, you can find a place in this field to apply your strengths.

Public relations is a broad field that is vital to the health of your organization. It is the job of the PR team to relate to their publics through storytelling and proactive communication. Image is an important aspect of brand awareness, which influences whether your potential customers know, like, and trust you. As a PR professional, it is your job to build that trust and turn those potential customers into a loyal fan base.

Why should you pursue a degree in Public Relations?

Your freshman year of college can be stressful for many different reasons. It may be your first time away from home. You may struggle to find your place in your new friend group. Let’s face it, balancing class, extracurriculars and social events can be difficult without your parents to help keep track of your schedule. If you don’t dream of being a lawyer, a doctor or an engineer, choosing a major is one more thing to stress about. By choosing to major in public relations, you open the door to a multitude of career options!

One of the best parts of the industry is how broad it is. Every company needs a PR team, so you could choose to work in-house for one of your favorite companies! Maybe you have a passion for politics. Every politician needs a communications director! Do you have a special interest in makeup or accessories? You could work for your favorite brand and help choose product samples to send to influencers. As brands realize how important a social media presence is, they will need the expertise of a PR trained social media manager! For those who want to make the world a better place, working as a PR specialist for a nonprofit may be the perfect fit for you. If you aren’t sure where you want to spend your career, you can work for an agency and try out each of your clients’ industries.

Growing up, I never had an answer when people asked me what my dream job was; all I knew was that I wanted to work with people. Choosing to study public relations was one of the best decisions of my college career. I have found a passion for strategic communication and relationship building. If you enjoy forging bonds with others, creative problem solving and want a job that will bring new challenges each day, a public relations degree may be the perfect fit for you!