The growth of public relations in the job market

As employers recognize the important link between a positive public image and the success of their businesses, they will increasingly turn to public relations specialists for their communication needs. This intriguing position turns a marketing expert into an advocate for an organization, who helps create and protect the company image. Whether through spreading good news about their clients or putting a positive angle on undesirable news, public relations specialists hold the future of a brand in the palm of their hand.

The recent, but steady, emergence of social media marketing is expected to increase the amount of open public relations jobs in the United States. Many organizations are expanding their use of these communication outlets, therefore, specialists who have the skills to utilize these forms of public engagement will become increasingly necessary for survival. Public relations specialists must have the ability to effectively act as a liaison between a brand and a company while still maintaining an edgy business perspective.

The competition for entry-level public relations jobs is expected to exceed the number of available positions. Employment is expected to grow by 24 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In part, the growth is due to an increasingly competitive and global business environment. Employers are looking for individuals who are fluent in multiple languages in order to expand their public image abroad.

Employers consider candidates with degrees in public relations, marketing, journalism or communications for open positions because each path stresses the importance of engaging with the public in order to achieve success, and they tend to seek individuals who are comfortable interacting with media personnel and finding creative ways to keep a company's target audience engaged.

Public relations jobs often require work that extends beyond a nine to five day. In fact, PR specialists are often called upon when a crisis arises and a quick solution is needed.

Employers will continue to look for public relations experts to manage their brand image in an increasingly complex and competitive world, where presence, visibility and relatability are all integral to a company's survival.