Public Relation

Public Relation is a management branch that involves monitoring and evaluating public attitudes and maintaining mutual relations and besides understanding relation between an organization and its public.

Public could include shareholders, government, consumers, employees and the media. It is the act of getting along with people we constantly come in touch with.

PROs ensures internal coordination in the company by maintaining a clear communications network between the management and the staff. Its first objective is to improve channels of communication and to establish new ways of setting up a two-way flow of information and understanding.

Public relations as a separate career option has came into existence when lots of government cor private companies and institution felt the need to market their product, service and facilities.

Public image is important to all organizations and prominent personalities. The role of public relation specialist becomes pertinent in crisis situations when the correct and timely transmission of information can help save the face of the organization.

In terms of career opportunities, Public relations is broadly practiced for product publicity, corporate publicity, to have better relations with the government, to publish corporate publications like  bulletins, newsletter, magazines for employees etc.

Public Relation Eligibility Criteria

Bachelors degree in any discipline preferably with social sciences, liberal arts and humanities is required to take up a course in this field. There are diploma as well as post graduate diploma courses in Public relations.

Duration of most the courses is of one year. Apart from this there are also short term certificate courses. Most training programs in Advertising also includes public relations. Some institutes have entrance exams while others prefer admission on merit basis.
 
These courses mainly cover areas like public relations principles and techniques, public relations management and administration, including organizational development, writing, emphasizing news releases, proposals, annual reports, scripts, speeches, and related items, visual communications, including desktop publishing and computer graphics, and research, emphasizing social science research and survey design and implementation.

Public Relation Personality Traits

• Excellent Communication Skills
• Impressive Personality
• Team Player
• Good Organizing Skills
• Must have self-confidence and farsightedness.
• Must be able to understand human psychology and take decisions apt to the situation.
• Strong Analytical Skills

Public Relation Career Options and Job Prospects

Public relation officers can find employment in the public sector, corporate sector, government agencies, tourist agencies, hotels, banks and other financial institutions, private consultancy firms etc.
 
Public relation officers can find employment in the corporate sector, public sector, government agencies, tourist agencies, hotels, banks and other financial institutions, private consultancy firms etc.

Nowadays they can find work even with individuals like political figures, models and film stars who want their pictures, profiles and interviews published in magazines and need agents who can do the work for them so as to have a image in front of general public.

Public relations officers have to work within and outside the organization. Within the concern they have to conduct management-employee meets, to inform organizations policies, activities and accomplishments.

Outside he has to liaison with government departments, trade unions, press etc whose cooperation is required for the smooth functioning, and also have to manage complaints from the consumers, organize events like fairs, exhibitions etc.

The work involves keeping management aware of public attitudes and concerns of the many groups and organizations with which they must deal. In addition, public relations departments employ public relations specialists to write, research, prepare materials, maintain contacts, and respond to inquiries.

Another important sector of work in this field is to create public identity or an image for public figures like political parties, models and film stars. It include advising them on every aspect of personality, including dress code, behavior, statement given in press, public appearances etc.

Lobbying, a new field in this career, involves bringing about the passage of laws favorable to the special interest group they represent like a company, industries, government etc. It is a strategy used to raise public consciousness and influence policy makers in areas like environment, human rights, education etc. This is an interesting area of work in public relation.

Public Relation Pay Package

Starting salary can be  between Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 a month, depending on the kind of organization that one joins. Thereafter, it is up to one's performance. A senior PR professional may get Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000.

Public Relation Institutes

• Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
• Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli
• Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's Sardar Patel College of Communication and Management, New Delhi
• Centre for Image Management Studies, Noida
• Cochin University : School of Management Studies, Kochi
• Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore
• Gujarat University, Ahmedabad
• Indian Institute of Journalism, New Delhi
• Indian Institute of Mass Communication (I.I.M.C.), New Delhi
• Indian Institute of Public Relations, New Delhi
• Institute of Marketing and Management, New Delhi
• K.C. College of Management Studies, Mumbai
• Meteor Institute of Digital Design Studies (M.I.D.D.S.), Thane
• New Delhi Y.M.C.A. Centre for Mass Media, New Delhi
• Punjabi University, Patiala