Public Relations

Career Objectives

Build and maintain the prestige of companies, their products or services, individuals and other entities.

In the company, his objective is to achieve a healthy organizational climate, which contributes to the approach, trust and understanding of all the people related to it. This is a strategic tool of great value for its development, since to compete successfully in the current and future market, companies and organizations in general must have the acceptance, appreciation and support both from people within them and the community in which these are located.

Professional Profile

Public relations specialists –in general- are concerned about communication strategy and the promotion of a public person (artist, politician, entrepreneur, opinion leader), an idea, a product, a small or large company.

For a long time, journalists have been public relations specialists, given their experience and relationship with the media, but a professional with greater emphasis on organizational communication was necessary.

The public relations specialist is the voice and language of institutions. He is trained in the area of interpersonal relations and is a communications strategist. With an integral vision of the company, he manages his Organizational Communication.

He develops Corporate Image strategies, which correspond to a good image of the institution in the environment where it is developed, which is fundamental in a society that demands credible references.

He has strong cultural and social background in issues related to national and international news that allows him to manage situations of communication crisis in which the company may be involved.

Against a specific communication problem, the professional analyzes the case, proposes changes and advises on these changes.

A good image is achieved:

With real knowledge of the public with which the company relates, understand how they are, in order to infer their concerns.

This public linked to it may be constituted by other companies that supply it with products or provide services, companies to which it sells its products or services, governmental organizations with which it is related due to governmental or ministerial policies the company must respect and the general public that acquires its products or services.

Achieving that the company is made known within society, that is, knowing what it does and its role within it. This creates very positive close links for business management.

In the case of companies that have expanded abroad, it requires someone specialized in international relations who knows the historical development of the countries they go to.

He must also:

Meet the internal communication requirements of the company since communication interactions constitute the raw material of its enterprise architecture.

He must detect problems in advance, and when these are presented, he must be a “troubleshooter”.

A good communication within the company improves it management, organization and coordination which results in a better customer service, a higher quality in its products and a reinforcement of its credibility, validity and positioning in the market, a key issue to achieve successful negotiations.

Specific tasks or activities carried out in the profession

He identifies and diagnoses communication problems of the company both internally and communication with his public.

He optimizes communication by designing strategies and communication activities.

He proposes communication programs, coordinates, implements and evaluates them.

He organizes and produces events.

He advises on social etiquette and protocol.

He organizes conferences.

He plans activities such as meetings, receptions, etc. He carries out these activities and coordinates them.

He writes press releases for the authorities, media and the general public about plans or policies of the company, achievements or opinions the company wants to issue. (For instance, when telephone companies have reported the increase in their rates through television, explaining why they take the measure)

He participates in the production of institutional media.

He designs and backs musical, sports, cultural events, etc, as a way of disseminating the company.

He negotiates advertising contracts for the company with newspapers representatives, radio and television stations, sports and cultural organizations and advertising agencies.

He monitors the expenses and the good use of the *resources of the public relations area.

He determines and carries out operational and administrative procedures of the public relations area.

He plans and directs daily work of his area.

He controls the staff selection of his area and their performance.

He represents his area in work relationships with other areas of the company.

He designs and conducts fundraising activities carried out on behalf of educational, humanitarian organizations or other non-profit organizations. (if he works there).

Occupational Field

Cultural, educational, religious, political, trade-union, social well-being, artistic, sports and media organizations, among others

State Agencies: Ministries, governorships, municipalities

Advice to people: entrepreneurs, politicians, artists

Private companies of products and services

Advertising agencies

Event Production Companies

Organizational Communication or Public Relations Departments in companies

Education and Research

His own consulting company specialized in marketing and communication, where the professional can associate with other communication professionals, such as publicists, designers or journalists.

His own image consulting or communication *audit firm

Estimated time of College years

Around 5 - 9 semesters, depending on the institution

Main courses considered in the study plan

General Training Courses

Current Affairs (National and Worldwide)

Socio-political and Economic Environment

Sociology

General Psychology

Written and Oral Expression, Gestures

English

Basic Training Courses

Introduction to the Company

Administrative Process

Accounting Process Foundations

Fundamentals of Economics

Commercialization

Statistics

Communication Theories

Sociology of Communication

Communication Psychology

Corporate and Business Law

Professional Area

Oral Expression Workshop

Production of Messages Workshop

Administration and Event Logistics

Corporate Image Management

Diagnosis in Public Relations

Media

Marketing

Advertising Fundamentals

Advertising Management

Public Opinion Research

Semiotics and Communication

Negotiation Skills

International Public Relations

Human Behavior in the Organization

Specialties

He can specialize in International Relations

Vocation, Skills and Interests required in the candidate for this career

Interests

Interest in meeting people and interacting with them

Motivation for trade and commercial strategy

Taste for planning and organization

Taste for English

Curiosity about people’s psychology; the reason of their behavior and mindset

Interest in daily events of the country and the rest of the world

Interest in paying attention to the needs of other people

Skills

Ease to interact with others

Ease of communication, that is, to be understood by others

Ease of oral (verbal fluency), written expression, and gestures

Ability to establish new interpersonal relationships

Capacity to understand and analyze what is expressed by others

Ability to negotiate agreements

Ease for languages

Vocation

Vocation for wanting to communicate and interact with others

For discovering and knowing the art of communication

Help others to relate in harmony, to understand each other, to enter into agreements and thus be able to “do together”, achieving effectiveness and well-being.

With preference to develop in the field of projects, business, planning, in the field of doing and building

Or any specific dream or longing which feels involved or oriented towards this direction.

Candidate’s Personality

-Extroverted, sociable, enterprising, creative, dynamic, manager, convincing, good treatment, flexible, tolerant, empathetic (ability to understand people), moderator with others, methodical, organized and tidy with his things, ability to work in teams.

Work Scope

High activity and movement, social contact and changing environment

Related Careers

Advertising

Marketing and Commercialization

International Relations

Social Communication

Psychology with specialty in the Labor and Organizational field

Human Resources Management

And other careers that correspond to Public Relations, but other names have been assigned to them, such as:

Corporate Communication

Strategic Communication

Organizational Communication

Glossary of Terms

Resources: All the elements necessary to make something operate such as: office, computer, staff, telephone, etc.

Communication Audit: Review and assessment of the strategies and communication actions of the company.

Semiotics: Study of the symbols that make up the language.

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