13 Nov 14

40 Job Titles I’ve Mastered as a PR Professional!

Posted in Uncategorized by at 09:11 1 Comment on 40 Job Titles I’ve Mastered as a PR Professional!

I often get asked to give advice to young, aspiring, public relations practitioners about what to expect in the world of Public Relations. As was my training, the knowledge gained through books, professors and seminars in no way prepared me for what my job as a public relations professional has really become. Therefore, this list briefly explains the role of someone in PR…

  1. You are a gopher.
  2. You are a planner.
  3. You are the driver.
  4. You are a politician.
  5. You coral the media.
  6. You pitch the media.
  7. You are a babysitter.
  8. You manage parking.
  9. You manage security.
  10. You are detail driven.
  11. You are the organizer.
  12. You drive the message.
  13. You manage the logistics.
  14. You are an event manager.
  15. You use a Thesaurus often!
  16. You are an advance person.
  17. You are a relationship builder.
  18. You are a manager of vendors.
  19. You are the on-camera person.
  20. You are the off-camera person.
  21. You squash stories when needed.
  22. You write and manage the Run of Show.
  23. You simply get stuff done without excuses!
  24. You write the press release or media advisory.
  25. You are a manager of people and personalities.
  26. You design the backdrop and secure aesthetics.
  27. You are the holder of the media’s microphones.
  28. You hold your clients hand through everything.
  29. You re-write the press release or media advisory.
  30. You often pray for good weather or adequate backup plans!
  31. You are the emcee or you make sure the emcee stays on course.
  32. You strategically place stories, segments and social media online.
  33. You are the go-to person when everything does not go as planned.
  34. In many cases, you manage the budgets for the events you facilitate.
  35. You are the interviewer when the media doesn’t ask the right questions.
  36. You are the person that corrects the media or calls them out on errors in their story.
  37. You are a videographer/or photographer who re-pitches the media after an event with your digital assets.
  38. You manage the promotional material being printed form the local print shop – i.e.: the banners, flyers, brochures, media materials.
  39. You take phone calls from all hours of the day and night from clients, reporters and vendors.
  40. You are the one that writes to final after-action report detailing media metrics, exposure and results due to your efforts.

As I recount my education related to media relations, even in Grad School, I can honestly say that they didn’t teach me what was needed to be successful in this field. However, after being in the field for a little over 20 years, I can truly say that the above 40 job titles are all titles I’ve had under as a Public Relations professional. In understanding this, and being able to get through it with a smile, is what has made me successful.

Personally, I believe that being in the Public Relations field is almost like being in a constant state of a startup company. You are the person that makes it all happen! You are the person that, no matter what, ensures success at all levels. You are the person that pays attention to the details of an event. You are the person that sticks around until it’s packed up and clean. You are the motivator and inspirer while always trying to stay positive even under the most stressful situations. But, with all this said, if you are in the Public Relations field, you are the person that gets things done and gets the coverage needed. Else, if you’re not the “DOER,” someone else will take your place quickly!

Being a success in the public relations field requires experience. Only after understanding your many roles, and having experience in all of the above mentioned job descriptions, you will have a sense as to what to expect in this field. I wish you well and if you have questions or need advise, please feel free to contact Chris Kuban at Chemistry Multimedia – chris@ChemistryMultimedia.com.