Communication Transfer Pathway

Alternative Job Titles for Public Relations Specialists

• Communications Specialist
• Community Relations Coordinator
• Corporate Communications Specialist
• Information and Communications Specialist
• Media Relations Specialist
• Public Affairs Specialist
• Public Information Officer
• Public Information Specialist
• Public Relations Coordinator (PR Coordinator)
• Public Relations Specialist (PR Specialist)

Job Tasks and Activities for Public Relations Specialists

• Arrange public appearances, lectures, contests, or exhibits for clients to increase product or service awareness or to promote goodwill.
• Coach client representatives in effective communication with the public or with employees.
• Coach others.
• Collaborate with others in marketing activities.
• Conduct market research.
• Confer with other managers to identify trends or key group interests or concerns or to provide advice on business decisions.
• Confer with production or support personnel to produce or coordinate production of advertisements or promotions.
• Consult with advertising agencies or staff to arrange promotional campaigns in all types of media for products, organizations, or individuals.
• Coordinate logistics for productions or events.
• Develop marketing campaigns for environmental technologies or services.
• Develop plans or materials to communicate organizational activities that are beneficial to the environment, public safety, or other important social issues.
• Develop promotional strategies or plans.
• Edit written materials.
• Inform viewers, listeners, or audiences.
• Plan or conduct market or public opinion research to test products or determine potential for product success, communicating results to client or management.
• Plan or direct development or communication of programs to maintain favorable public or stockholder perceptions of an organization's accomplishments, agenda, or environmental responsibility.
• Post and update content on the company's Web site and social media outlets.
• Prepare or deliver speeches to further public relations objectives.
• Prepare or edit organizational publications, such as employee newsletters or stockholders' reports, for internal or external audiences.
• Promote products, activities, or organizations.
• Provide educational information to the public.
• Purchase advertising space or time as required to promote client's product or agenda.
• Respond to requests for information from the media or designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source.
• Study the objectives, promotional policies, or needs of organizations to develop public relations strategies that will influence public opinion or promote ideas, products, or services.
• Write advertising or promotional material.
• Write informational material.
• Write press releases or other media communications to promote clients.

Interests for Public Relations Specialists

• Enterprising
  Managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations.
• Artistic
  Creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials.
• Social
  Helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others.

Skills for Public Relations Specialists

In order of importance

• Active Listening
  Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
  Importance: 78/100
• Speaking
  Talking to others.
  Importance: 78/100
• Social Perceptiveness
  Understanding people's reactions.
  Importance: 75/100
• Reading Comprehension
  Reading work-related information.
  Importance: 75/100
• Writing
  Writing things for co-workers or customers.
  Importance: 75/100
• Critical Thinking
  Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
  Importance: 72/100
• Time Management
  Managing your time and the time of other people.
  Importance: 72/100
• Coordination
  Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
  Importance: 72/100
• Persuasion
  Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
  Importance: 69/100
• Judgment and Decision Making
  Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
  Importance: 63/100
• Active Learning
  Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
  Importance: 60/100
• Complex Problem Solving
  Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
  Importance: 60/100
• Systems Evaluation
  Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
  Importance: 56/100
• Negotiation
  Bringing people together to solve differences.
  Importance: 56/100
• Systems Analysis
  Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
  Importance: 53/100
• Service Orientation
  Looking for ways to help people.
  Importance: 53/100
• Monitoring
  Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
  Importance: 50/100
• Instructing
  Teaching people how to do something.
  Importance: 50/100
• Learning Strategies
  Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
  Importance: 47/100
• Operations Analysis
  Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
  Importance: 44/100
• Management of Personnel Resources
  Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
  Importance: 41/100
• Mathematics
  Using math to solve problems.
  Importance: 25/100
• Management of Financial Resources
  Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
  Importance: 22/100
• Technology Design
  Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
  Importance: 19/100
• Management of Material Resources
  Managing equipment and materials.
  Importance: 19/100
• Operations Monitoring
  Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
  Importance: 16/100
• Science
  Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
  Importance: 13/100
• Quality Control Analysis
  Testing how well a product or service works.
  Importance: 10/100
• Programming
  Writing computer programs.
  Importance: 10/100

Knowledge for Public Relations Specialists

In order of importance

• Communications and Media
  Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  Importance: 98/100
• English Language
  Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  Importance: 93/100
• Customer and Personal Service
  Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  Importance: 74/100
• Administration and Management
  Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  Importance: 74/100
• Sales and Marketing
  Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  Importance: 73/100
• Computers and Electronics
  Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  Importance: 63/100
• Administrative
  Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
  Importance: 49/100
• Education and Training
  Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  Importance: 44/100
• Personnel and Human Resources
  Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  Importance: 44/100
• Sociology and Anthropology
  Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
  Importance: 41/100
• Psychology
  Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  Importance: 39/100
• Economics and Accounting
  Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  Importance: 33/100
• Law and Government
  Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  Importance: 31/100
• Telecommunications
  Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
  Importance: 31/100
• Mathematics
  Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  Importance: 31/100
• Design
  Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  Importance: 30/100
• Geography
  Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
  Importance: 30/100
• Philosophy and Theology
  Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
  Importance: 23/100
• Production and Processing
  Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  Importance: 22/100
• Public Safety and Security
  Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  Importance: 22/100
• Foreign Language
  Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
  Importance: 21/100
• History and Archeology
  Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
  Importance: 18/100
• Fine Arts
  Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
  Importance: 14/100
• Transportation
  Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  Importance: 11/100
• Therapy and Counseling
  Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
  Importance: 8/100
• Engineering and Technology
  Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  Importance: 7/100
• Biology
  Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  Importance: 5/100
• Physics
  Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
  Importance: 4/100
• Mechanical
  Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  Importance: 2/100
• Building and Construction
  Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
  Importance: 2/100
• Medicine and Dentistry
  Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  Importance: 1/100
• Chemistry
  Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
  Importance: 1/100
• Food Production
  Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
  Importance: 1/100

Physical Abilities for Public Relations Specialists

In order of importance

• Oral Comprehension
  Listening and understanding what people say.
  Importance: 81/100
• Oral Expression
  Communicating by speaking.
  Importance: 78/100
• Written Expression
  Communicating by writing.
  Importance: 75/100
• Speech Recognition
  Recognizing spoken words.
  Importance: 75/100
• Speech Clarity
  Speaking clearly.
  Importance: 75/100
• Deductive Reasoning
  Using rules to solve problems.
  Importance: 72/100
• Problem Sensitivity
  Noticing when problems happen.
  Importance: 72/100
• Written Comprehension
  Reading and understanding what is written.
  Importance: 72/100
• Originality
  Creating new and original ideas.
  Importance: 69/100
• Fluency of Ideas
  Coming up with lots of ideas.
  Importance: 69/100
• Inductive Reasoning
  Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
  Importance: 66/100
• Near Vision
  Seeing details up close.
  Importance: 63/100
• Category Flexibility
  Grouping things in different ways.
  Importance: 50/100
• Information Ordering
  Ordering or arranging things.
  Importance: 50/100
• Time Sharing
  Doing two or more things at the same time.
  Importance: 47/100
• Selective Attention
  Paying attention to something without being distracted.
  Importance: 47/100
• Visualization
  Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
  Importance: 41/100
• Far Vision
  Seeing details that are far away.
  Importance: 38/100
• Flexibility of Closure
  Seeing hidden patterns.
  Importance: 35/100
• Memorization
  Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
  Importance: 31/100
• Number Facility
  Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
  Importance: 28/100
• Speed of Closure
  Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
  Importance: 28/100
• Auditory Attention
  Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
  Importance: 25/100
• Perceptual Speed
  Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
  Importance: 25/100
• Visual Color Discrimination
  Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
  Importance: 25/100
• Mathematical Reasoning
  Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
  Importance: 25/100
• Hearing Sensitivity
  Telling the difference between sounds.
  Importance: 19/100
• Trunk Strength
  Using your lower back and stomach.
  Importance: 16/100
• Finger Dexterity
  Putting together small parts with your fingers.
  Importance: 16/100
• Depth Perception
  Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
  Importance: 10/100
• Wrist-Finger Speed
  Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
  Importance: 10/100
• Extent Flexibility
  Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  Importance: 3/100

Tools and Technology used by Public Relations Specialists

• Desktop computers
• Laser printers
• Notebook computers
• Personal computers
• Photocopiers
• Special purpose telephones
• Cloud-based data access and sharing software
  • Google Drive
  • Microsoft SharePoint
• Customer relationship management CRM software
  • Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge
  • Customer relationship management CRM software
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Oracle Eloqua
  • Salesforce software
• Data base reporting software
  • Oracle Business Intelligence Discoverer
• Data base user interface and query software
  • Airtable
  • Cision CisionPoint
  • FileMaker Pro
  • Google
  • LinkedIn
• Data mining software
  • Google Analytics
• Desktop communications software
  • ParentSquare
• Desktop publishing software
  • Adobe InDesign
  • Microsoft Publisher
• Development environment software
  • Adobe ActionScript
• Document management software
  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Electronic mail software
  • Microsoft Outlook
• Graphics or photo imaging software
  • Adobe Creative Cloud software
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Apple iPhoto
  • Canva
  • JamBoard
  • SmugMug Flickr
• Information retrieval or search software
  • LexisNexis
• Instant messaging software
  • Twitter
• Internet browser software
  • Web browser software
• Multi-media educational software
  • Nearpod
• Network conferencing software
  • LogMeIn GoToWebinar
  • Slido interaction software
• Network monitoring software
  • Wireshark
• Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office software
• Operating system software
  • Apple macOS
• Presentation software
  • Apple Keynote
  • Google Slides
  • Mentimeter
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
• Project management software
  • Microsoft Project
• Sales and marketing software
  • Google Ads
  • HubSpot software
  • Marketo Marketing Automation
• Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel
• Video conferencing software
  • Cisco Webex
• Video creation and editing software
  • Adobe After Effects
  • Apple Final Cut Express
  • Apple Final Cut Pro
  • Apple QuickTime
  • YouTube
• Web page creation and editing software
  • Adobe Dreamweaver
  • Blogging software
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Myspace
  • Podcasting software
  • Social media sites
  • Website management software
  • WordPress
• Web platform development software
  • Cascading style sheets CSS
  • Drupal
  • Dynamic hypertext markup language DHTML
  • Extensible hypertext markup language XHTML
  • Hypertext markup language HTML
  • JavaScript
• Word processing software
  • 3M Post-it App
  • Adobe Acrobat Writer
  • Google Docs
  • Microsoft Word

Employment Industries for Public Relations Specialists

• Advertising, public relations, and related services
  38,600 employed
• Local government, excluding education and hospitals
  15,200 employed
• Management of companies and enterprises
  13,800 employed
• Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state
  12,400 employed
• Social advocacy organizations
  12,000 employed
• Colleges, universities, and professional schools; private
  11,500 employed
• Management, scientific, and technical consulting services
  9,200 employed
• Grantmaking and giving services
  8,000 employed
• State government, excluding education and hospitals
  7,200 employed
• Computer systems design and related services
  6,800 employed