Public Relations Specialists

Individuals who serve as advocates for businesses, nonprofit associations, universities, hospitals and other organizations; and build and maintain positive relationships with the public. They handle organizational functions such as media, community, consumer, and governmental relations; political campaigns; interest-group representation; conflict mediation; and employee and investor relations. They help an organization and its public adapt mutually to each other. Understanding the attitudes and concerns of consumers, employees and various other groups also is a vital part of the job. To improve communication, public relations specialists establish and maintain cooperative relationships with representatives of community, consumer, employee and public interest groups, and with representatives from print and broadcast journalism. Included are media specialists who draft press releases and contact people in the media who might print or broadcast their material; public affairs specialists who arrange and conduct programs to keep up contact between organization representatives and the public; and governmental public affairs specialists (often called press secretaries) who keep the public informed about the activities of government agencies and officials.