| Activities | Public relations specialists—also referred to as communications specialists and media specialists, among other titles—serve as advocates for businesses, nonprofit associations, universities, hospitals, and other organizations, and build and maintain positive relationships with the public. |
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| Outlook | Faster-than-average-job growth |
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| Median Income | $51,300 in 2008 |
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| Work Context & Conditions | Public Relations Specialist may be occasionally at the job or on call around the clock, especially if there is an emergency or crisis. Public relations offices are busy places; work schedules can be irregular and frequently interrupted. Schedules often have to be rearranged so that workers can meet deadlines, deliver speeches, attend meetings and community activities, or travel. Public relations specialists work a standard 35- to 40-hour week, but unpaid overtime is common. |
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| Minimum Education Requirements | Bachelor's Degree
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| Skills | Persuasion, Social Perceptiveness, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Writing, Service Orientation, Systems Evaluation, Systems Perception, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Systems Analysis |
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| Abilities | Oral Expression, Speech Recognition, Fluency of Ideas, Originality, Written Comprehension, Near Vision, Speech Clarity, Written Expression, Oral Comprehension |
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| Interviews | Kelli Carrington
Geoff Spencer |
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