PR professionals are truly the people behind the scenes. Managing the reputation and image of a brand or person, they seek to influence public knowledge and understanding through strategically planned campaigns.
What skills are needed?
To be successful in PR, you need to be a jack of many traits including;
Having excellent communication and relationship building skills.
A creative flair and an ability to write exceptionally engaging copy.
Great organisation and time management skills.
A knack for spotting a news angle and crafting a brilliant press release.
An interest in current affairs.
An ability to think strategically and creatively at the same time.
Career prospects
Good news! Whether working in-house or within an agency, career prospects within PR are strong and promotion opportunities are often rapid and frequently available.
The traditional route for career progression is …
PR Assistant or Junior Account Executive - Suitable for fresh off the block graduates.
PR Officer or Account Executive - Normally after gaining a good year or two experience.
Senior PR Executive - For those with two+ years experience.
PR Account Manager/PR Manager.
PR Account Director/PR Director.
Head of PR/PR & Comms Director.
Salaries
Salaries can vary depending on what your level of experience is, along with your location.
Traditionally salaries in the south tend to be higher with an average starting salary of £25,000, around 12% higher than Midlands and North PR salaries.
A more detailed insight into what your PR salary could look like can be found in our latest salary surveys for the Midlands, North and Home Counties.
Are there many PR jobs being advertised?
From January - October 2021 we’ve seen a 143% increase in the volume of PR vacancies compared to the same period in 2020. It’s fair to say the industry is experiencing significant growth following the pandemic, and we’re anticipating this to continue moving forwards into 2022.
Most vacancies however are within the agency space, and based on the volume of roles we have incoming, the Midlands and Manchester are the places to be looking. Both areas boast a fantastic array of small - medium independent and globally recognised PR, comms and digital agencies who are all in need of some amazing PR talent.
